Theatre Wars
by Ms Bat
Summary: Rivalries! Jealous spats! Rumours! In the fickle world of the stage and with Mai and Naru on the rocks again, can SPR survive all these and still deal with paranormal activity of a most vindictive nature? Sequel to Fortune's Wheel
1. Chapter 1: Reboot

Theatre Wars

Chapter 1: Reboot

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of _Ghost Hunt_.

Gentle Reminder: This is a sequel which follows from _Fortune's Wheel_ and while I am not fussed with the order in which readers read (I for one read _Lord of the Rings_ out of order) do please note that I've built esp Mai and Naru's relationship around the ending of the prequel to this fic.

* * *

The clock is ticking. I glare at the offending object on my desk in SPR. "Why can't you go faster," I grumble at it when Naru walks out of his room, a stack of files under one arm. "If you feel bored Mai, don't hesitate to ask for more work," he says as he drops the entire lot in front of me. I sigh. _Jerk_.

"Oh, and Mai? Tea."

_Ugh_.

"You could say 'please', you know."

No reply. Not that I am expecting any from that arrogant narcissist. I flop onto the desk and stretch out over the new pile of paper with a groan. An empty silence greets me. Lin has gone out and nobody has seemed inclined to drop by (as they do on a seemingly regular basis). Even Masako, who seizes every opportunity she has to lure Naru out of his den-like office isn't here. Perhaps the blazing sun outside has prevented her from stepping out for fear of ruining her complexion? Though I have my back to the window, I can feel the warm afternoon streaming in behind me and when I close my eyes, hear children laughing in the playground opposite.

"Stifling, more like," I continue to myself. Why do I have to be stuck in here on a day like this?"

Naru's door opens again and he glowers at me. "Where is my tea?"

"Hai, hai," I mumble, still glued to my desk. Naru waits a few seconds and when I haven't moved, he sighs, a single light fluid action. I roll my eyes. Only that narcissist could make sighing look so attractive. "It's not fair," I whine. "It's too nice today."

His eyes flicker briefly to the window. Momentarily, the bright blue of the sky outside is caught in his gaze and I reflected sadly how even that is not a patch on the deep periwinkle of his eyes. His voice, however, is cold. "Do I have to remind you that I pay you to do your job regardless of the weather?"

"Yes boss, I mean, no boss," I reply and finally peel myself from the table. "Getting your tea now boss."

The phone rings and we look at each other. "Your tea will be done faster if you answer your own calls," I say, trying for a bribe. To my surprise, he actually complies, though he gives me one of his warning looks as he disappears back into his den – I mean – office. Hah! I think, smirking when his back is turned. Naru would probably never acknowledge his weakness for tea, not even if he was hit on the head with a bag of his favourite Assam. I smile wanly into the kettle, wondering if I haven't been fired only because I happen to be the only source capable of providing him his tea fix. Reaching for the tin of tightly rolled dried leaves with practiced ease, I consider our 'relationship' as it currently stood.

Since my rashness in declaring my love for him a _second_ time, things have gone back to normal. I don't talk about it. Naru doesn't make any mention of it. With the amount of attention I receive from him you'll think I'm no different from the artificial potted plant in the corner of the office. In fact, for the past three weeks, I've seen more of his yellow memos than the man himself. Even Lin, who is taciturn to the point of exaggeration, has spoken more words to me than he has the entire month. Forget it, Mai. I give myself a mental shake. Even if I paraded on his desk in a bunnygirl outfit, he would only lower his book to say, "Mai, get off my desk before you ruin it permanently with your six-inch heels."

I had barely begun filling the kettle with water when Naru comes into the kitchen, shrugging on a light jacket as he did so. "What's this about six-inch heels?"

I squawk and nearly drop the kettle. Naru raised one elegant eyebrow as he leaned against the counter watching me. "Get your coat."

"Huh?"

He smirks at me. "Surely you've the brains to follow such simple instructions."

"Aren't you in a good mood today," I say as I place it back on the counter and wipe my hands. "Don't you want the tea anymore?" More importantly, weren't you avoiding me?

"I can't keep the clients waiting."

"You're _going_ to meet the client? The ones from the theatre?"

"Yes, Mai. It doesn't take a genius to figure that one out."

"But why?" I persist as I follow him to the entrance.

"On a day like this when we could be going outside?" he mocks.

"Very funny." I mutter sourly though I am privately glad that he is at least speaking more normally to me again and I silently thanked the forces that dropped this case on us. Naru can't very well ignore me forever. "What about Lin?"

"He'll be coming to fetch us in a few minutes."

Well, so much for the day _out_. In a matter of minutes I'll be shut in an enclosed vehicle with two of the most reticent men on earth.

"Mai."

"Hai?" I answer, watching him curiously.

"Before Lin arrives…" he trails off hesitantly. "What happened at the theme park shouldn't affect our working relationship on this case."

I nod my agreement despite my puzzlement. Whatever does he mean by _that_?

"It's a potentially dangerous case. People have gotten injured."

"I understand," I say coldly, bristling at the underlying implications of his warning. "Clumsy me will take note." He stares at me pointedly. "I mean it Mai," he replies, his voice softening abruptly.

_Eh_? This is so unlike him that for a moment I am convinced he has been possessed.

"No, I've not been possessed," he says coolly. I scowl at him and he smirks. "You have been spacing out more than is usual, even for you. Have you been thinking about what I've said?"

It's a shame. If he knew just exactly how much time I've devoted to turning over and over that little conversation, his ego would have a field day. I grit my teeth and answer sharply, "_No_."

"You're a very poor liar." There is a hard edge under the artfully careless comment and I know I need to tread carefully.

"Ok, so I have been," I acquiesce. _Acquiesce_. A word I had no doubt picked up from being around Naru too much. The thought worries me and I start down the stairs instinctively, suddenly wanting very much to be away from him. Unfortunately, he trails after me. "Relax, Naru. I know better than to moon over your face on a case…" I start to say, only to have him cutting off my escape route when he steps in front of me. Standing as I am on a higher step, I can look directly into his face instead of craning as I have to usually. "After all this time, do you think I can't read you? It's of course made easier by how you wear your heart on your sleeve."

_Of course_. Unlike somebody's permanently bland expression, _I_ must be an easy read. The thought is somehow frustrating and I glare back, anger rising like a hot bubble.

"Naru. I don't hope to be your girlfriend. In fact, I pity the girl who is. You don't do romance. I can take that. But you are an idiot if you think anyone fancies you because of your arrogance."

Ahh! I shouldn't have said that. Not that it wasn't uncalled for, but I shouldn't have been rude either. I can feel my own face heat up and I flinch instinctively, prepared for a sharp rebuke. To my surprise, nothing happens in the next few seconds and I risk opening one eye.

He is at the bottom of the stairs, his expression unreadable. "That may very well be a good thing," he says when I pass him. Which – had he meant his arrogance or that he doesn't want a girlfriend?

Mercifully, I am spared standing around him for too long as Lin drives up in the new car. He looks askance at the sight of us but doesn't say anything. Knowing what a mother hen he actually is, I'm quite sure that Naru won't be getting away though. Naru turns around when I snort and gives me an inquiring look. "It's nothing," I smirk as I get in, though not before Naru unceremoniously dumps two folders on me first. So this was why I had so little paperwork. Naru has been hogging them. "

Here, take these. The client faxed them over last week," he announces smugly as I groan at the amount of data in them. "Do you really expect me to read all of these during the ride?" I complain.

"Don't flatter yourself Mai. Your level of intelligence won't be able to understand it."

I sigh, trying to get my mind away from Naru and onto the case instead. "Then…"

"As such, for your benefit, I will summarize the contents."

Right… Resisting the urge to throw Naru over the roof of the black vehicle, I slide into the comfortable leather seat, tucking the files tidily beside me. He clears his throat.

"Our client, or perhaps I ought to say, clients, are the Aoi Amateur Theatre Company and Ichibara Theatre Group and have a long standing rivalry with each other. In an effort to reconcile their differences, the heads of the respective companies decided to produce a double bill together. However, shortly after moving in to rehearse on location at the Ginsui Theatre, both groups claim to have become targets of curses which have been occurring in increasing intensity and frequency."

Naru flips a page of his own (much slimmer) black file as he gazes briefly out of the window. We are driving past wide open fields now and he goes back to his notes. "The real problem, however, is that both groups claim the other to be the culprit behind the curses."

"Whoa," I breathe. "Sounds complicated without even involving ghosts yet."

Naru hands me a blue clipboard with a clean sheet of paper. "Yes, which is why when we reach, I expect you to interview all the members of both groups."

"_Hai_…" I mutter, unhappy at the prospect of more work.

As we drive on, the skyscrapers gradually gave way to factory blocks and then scraps of empty green spaces full of unkempt grasses before opening into tamed fields of yellow mustard in bloom stretching out in an unbroken sea to the clear blue sky. At first, I had looked outside eagerly. But then, when after an hour had passed and the mustard fields stretch on, I yawn, drifting off to sleep just as Lin turned into a smaller path jutting off the main road.

"Mai."

Blinking sleepily I looked up as Naru's face swam into focus and I smiled vaguely when I caught a whiff of his cologne. He eyes me impassively and then turns away.

"People might think you are mentally inept with that expression you have on."

My second of bliss evaporates and I scowl at his retreating back. _Jerk_.

* * *

_Ah, and Mai has been mean this chapter and Naru retreats... for now anyway. I'm concerned they've been OOC but this chapter has been lurking in my laptop so long it'll grow mouldy soon. I'll tweak anything if it seems suspiciously off._


	2. Chapter 2: Expositions

Theatre Wars

Chapter 2: In which there are a lot of expositions and Mai does it again

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of _Ghost Hunt_.

* * *

Lin has parked the car in a vacant lot in front of the main theatre building which I am pleased to see had been built with a dramatic façade with imposing red pillars entwined with old gold dragons balancing the slate roof which curved upwards at the corners. The interior however is entirely modern, with a spacious lobby and ticket booth. The stairs beyond led up to the gallery. "Wow. What's a place like this doing in the middle of nowhere?" I breathe, awed. Lin, surprisingly, answers me. "You slept through the town when I was driving through."

"Oh."

I have just fallen into step with him when a girl with close cropped hair comes out from the booth. "Excuse me, but would you be from SPR?" Naru nods.

"I'm Kazuya Shibuya, and these are my associates."

"My name is Nijima Haru. If you'll follow me please," she answers, bowing as she speaks. She has vivid eyes and a friendly smile and I find myself liking her instantly. We follow Haru up the stairs to the gallery level of the theatre and down the corridor. The walls on both sides are decorated with framed black and white pictures of past performances and the floor is covered with a deep red carpet that muffled any sound. Haru stops at a door at the far end and knocks politely.

"Enter."

The room beyond is surprisingly spacious with a long table and office chairs all along its length. The three men who have been waiting inside rose to greet us. The taller of the two men and the only one dressed in a traditional _hakama_ speaks first.

"Ah. Welcome. It is very gracious of you to come all the way out here from Tokyo at such short notice. I am Nijima Hajime, director of Ichibara Theatre and this Umezo Kensho, the leader of Aoi Theatre Company. The young man here is my secretary, whom you spoke to on the phone yesterday, Kikuchi Takashi-kun."

Both men bow and Umezo gestures towards the table. "Please take a seat… Shibuya-san?" he says in Lin's direction.

Naru steps forward smoothly."I am Kazuya Shibuya. The man you were speaking to is my assistant, Lin Koujo."

Umezo Kensho, not unsurprisingly, looks surprised. "So young? Er, I mean, this is unexpected."

Well of course it would be, prodigies like Naru don't exactly grow on trees and knowing my boss, I suspect he actually liked being misrecognized.

"Do take a seat all of you." As soon as we have settled down, Umezo clears his throat. "Firstly, Hajime and I deeply apologize for not being able to meet you at your office as planned. Unfortunately, my brother-in-law has been hospitalised and I only just came back here today."

"It's not a problem. I understand from my assistant's liaison with Kikuchi-san that your performance is for the spring festival that is in two weeks' time."

"Yes. Time is indeed pressing for us."

Haru has returned with a tray of steaming tea cups. "Then, I'll get straight to the point," Naru replies as he takes a sip of his green tea. "Given your brief to me, I would like to start by hearing more about this collaboration since it appears to be the source of your cast's unhappiness."

Nijima Hajime lowers his tea cup slowly. He is a dignified looking man with silver hair and a fatherly smile. "I believe it was in July last year. At that time, I had been considering possibilities of reviving audience numbers when I met Kensho in Ginza at a play last year. That was when we began talking of a possible collaboration."

"As you might have observed," Umezo-san booms, "both our troupes are relatively small and it seemed absurd to limit our repertoire because of a lack of actors when we could pool our resources. A month later, we pitched our idea to the management of the festival." He snorts. "You can imagine the actors' reaction. But Nijima and I had already signed the agreement."

Naru leans forward with his arms folded and I know that he is preparing to be serious. "And the matter of the curse?"

Umezo looks uneasy as he straightens his pin-striped suit. "The thing is… Ginsui Theatre has long had a reputation of being haunted. It all sounded pretty trite to me though, especially since the management attributes it to Okiku, of all things."

"Okiku?" I echo. "Do you mean that character from that tragedy?" Nijima Hajime affirms this with a nod and a slight smile.

"It seems unbelievable doesn't it? We didn't think too much about it either and it all seemed like hype set up to attract people to the Ginsui. A theatre with a colourful history can contribute very much to the atmosphere of certain productions. Only...

Nijima's smiled fades. "We have had nothing but trouble since we arrived. Cast and crew alike have been complaining about being watched during rehearsals, loud breathing in the shadows and a day doesn't go by without some kind of accident happening. Things even got dangerous when one of my actors fell from the upper floor, reportedly after seeing a woman in a white kimono step through the wall. This got everyone fired up unfortunately. And somehow word got round that someone in the production was jinxing it in protest of the collaboration."

"Do you have any idea who might be involved?"

Nijima shakes his head solemnly and then glances at his portly friend. "How about you, Kensho?"

"None."

Naru thumbs to a page which he had earlier marked out with a post-it. "Naturally, I've been conducting my own research since I received your file last week.

"And I gather that this is not the first time the Ichibara and ATC have collaborated in the Ginsui before." He flips several more pages and then leans forward. "From what you have told me, I believe that you do not suspect your present cast but perhaps, one from the past of the source of the hauntings?"

"Ah. Well." Umezo clears his throat embarrassedly. Naru is unmoved. "While I understand the curse to be somewhat a matter of delicacy for both your troupes, I doubt you would have hired me if it was a simple exorcism."

Nijima chuckles wryly. "We are well aware you come with very strong credentials. The minister is a patron of ours."

My eyes widen. Naru shrugs. "You want me to exorcise ghosts of your own making."

"That would be one way of saying it," Nijima answers. "But on top of the cast's claims, it is my belief that the less cooperative members are building on Ginsui's reputation in order to disrupt our opportunity to work together." He glances at Haru. "It would be ideal of course, if you could prove that there are no supernatural happenings but Kensho and I have come to believe that may not be quite possible."

"Very well. We'll be starting investigations today. I believe I also mentioned that we would require a room to conduct our investigations."

Kikuchi-san who has so far been earnestly scribbling in his notepad, pauses. "If I may offer a suggestion, this conference room would I believe be ideal."

"Certainly, that can be arranged. What do you think, Kensho?" Nijima-san asks. His counterpart grunts. "Fine with me," he says. They both get up. "Good luck with your investigations, Shibuya." Catching Naru's eye, Umezo pauses at the door. "You would no doubt want to find out more about what exactly the cast knows and there will be very eager persons who will fill you in. I only ask that discretion be used in your investigations."

The meeting over, we are now back outside. Somehow, the theatre doesn't look as appealing as it has earlier, Nijima and Umezo's account of its history having cast a pall over its glossy façade.

"You don't mean to leave us here for the night!" I protest unhappily as I watch Lin get into the car and start the engine. After some discussion, Naru feels that he would need the extra equipment after all and Lin has to go back to the office to get them. He winds down the vehicle's window, leaning out solemnly. "Is there anything you'll need apart from your overnight bag?"

I shake my head distractedly as Naru joins us. "Maybe a toothbrush," I say as he hands Lin a piece of paper. Lin scans it, nods and winds up his window. Then, with a soft crunch of gravel, he pulls out of the lot, the car vanishing down the slope beyond. Naru watches for a minute and then starts to go back into the theatre. "We might as well make a head start," he announces. "Go set up the shelves."

On another occasion, I would have been thrilled to have Naru all to myself but given our earlier argument, the atmosphere is tense and I wan't wait to escape.

"Umm… should I clear a space for the interviews here?" I ask meekly. Naru lifts his head with barely concealed impatience.

"Mm… Yes, Mai. You've worked for me long enough. Use your discretion and stop bugging me every few minutes."

The nerve of him! As if making monosyllabic grunts when I ask him anything is any better! _And_ he never lifts a finger to help either!

Once that is done, I am quick to escape out to the front entrance and the car park. The theatre sits on the side of a hill and from the edge of the garden I can look down into the city in the valley. I must have slept for a long while in the car if I missed all _that_. I watch for a while and then as the light began to fade, I turn to leave, only to bump straight into Naru.

When had he gotten here? I stumble, my nose stinging from where it'd hit his chest. He doesn't say anything but catches my hand so I don't fall. Bad move. My foot catches Naru's and we both go down.

_Oww_.

I can feel blood rushing up to my face. "I'm-I'm sor-sorry!"

"Are you two alright?"

Two more people have arrived. The taller one of them extends a hand out to me and I accept it gratefully. "Thanks," I say, my face still red. "Not to worry about, miss," he says as I scramble up, pulling Naru up with me. "Now then, would you two be from the paranormal team that's investigating the curse?"

"Yes, my name is Mai. May we be of any assistance er…mister…?"

"The name's Ike Himura, from ATC and this young man here is Hiro, also from Aoi," he says before breaking into a jovial laugh. The boy, Hiro, who appears to be about sixteen or seventeen smiles brightly, his brown eyes crinkling shyly. "Nice to meet you," he answers as we all begin to walk back to the main building. "We heard that some of your members would be remaining and that we could speak to you if we had any questions. Would that be you and…?" He looks at Naru.

"Since Mai has so conveniently forgotten to introduce me, I'll do it myself," Naru cuts in smoothly. "I'm Shibuya."

Oh – oops. I hadn't meant to that - honest!

"I believe you have something you wish to speak to us about?" Naru starts to ask when Kikuchi coughs politely, having just appeared from inside the lobby.

"Excuse me, Shibuya-san? Your rooms have been prepared. If you two would follow me, I will take you to them now."

"Oh-

I begin to say when Ike-san shakes his hand.

"It's alright, Hiro-kun and I have some things to finish up first anyway," he says and then winks at me. "Why don't you two head back? I won't tell your boss that you two lovebirds have been skiving."

_Ehh?!_ Naru and I look at each other. Then, I realise that I hadn't let go of his hand. As Kikuchi goes to speak to Ike-san, we hastily move apart, and embarrassed though I am, I am certain that Naru's face is redder than it usually is. _He's going to kill me later. _Kikuchi bows. "Allow me to apologize, Ike-san, for disrupting your conversation," he says courteously. Ike-san is equally polite. "Not at all, not at all," he replies before waving to Hiro. "Come on boy, we've got to fix those mikes before tomorrow." Is it my imagination or are Ike-san and Kikuchi-san both extra formal with each other? Then I remember that their troupes don't get along. That must be it. They leave, and we are about to as well when I stiffen.

"What is it?" Naru asks, looking sharply over to where I have been staring.

"I thought I saw someone standing near the bridge watching us."

But, when we get there, there is nobody. Naru sees me shivering uneasily and makes a decision quickly. "It was probably one of the crew members. Let's head back."

That night I wake up to feeling a warm weight over me. A pair of warm hands pin me down on the couch and I groan as warm kisses are planted down my arm. I shift, arching my neck hungrily for more which Naru complies, nibbling lightly on my exposed skin. "We shouldn't be here," I say reluctantly, guiltily.

"Why shouldn't we? I'm not needed for at least another…" he pulls a sleeve back to look at his watch. A gold and leather Omega… a new one I haven't seen before. "…Six minutes. There's still time till the curtain goes down," he breathes, his face bare millimetres from mine. "Umm, what are you doing?" I ask, when he grips my thigh. "_Shh_. Look, now there's only five more minutes," he murmurs as I dig sharply into the silk material over his back, biting back a sharp moan, my eyes fluttering open. Funny. Since when were the chairs in the conference room made of wood?

"Er…" I say as we shift on the couch but he stops me with a finger to my lips.

"Shizu…" he whispers hoarsely. "If you keep talking, they'll hear us," he admonishes. I sit up quickly, pushing him away while I scoot as far as I can from him. "Ha-Haruo-san?" I squeak. The man frowns, his dress shirt in disarray and still looking much like Naru would if he was wearing the remnants of a tux. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop using that honorific?"

"At-At least once more, as always," I sputter before jumping up and smoothing down my kimono. A kimono? Mai, you fool. You've been making love to some figment from the past and you didn't even know. The Haruo-Naru of my dreams staggers up as well, looking mighty annoyed when a bell chimes. Seizing the opportunity, I pick up the hem of the pastel yellow cloth and run for the door, slamming it behind the imitation Naru and the dream world with a relieved sigh.

The dream has me bolting out of my bed. Haruo? Shizu? Who are these people? I sit there mulling over it. At least Gene hadn't been in it. Or had he? The idea is too discomfiting to think on and I get out of the bed. A drink of water will probably calm me down. As I pass Naru's door I see that the light is on. Typical workaholic! I blush again and set off for the pantry, only to meet Naru, a damp towel around his shoulders. His eyes widen slightly in surprise. "Mai?"

"What are _you_ doing here?" I demand indignantly. Of all the people, he is the last person I want to see at that moment. Naru looks taken aback. I suppose I must have sounded much fiercer than I thought. His eyes narrow. "I was taking a shower. If you have no particular business, go back to your room instead of wandering about at four a.m."

His door slams shut and I stick my tongue out at him. Pot calling the kettle. Who takes baths at four huh?

* * *

_Notes: Okiku is a popular folktale character from Banchō Sarayashiki (The Dish Mansion at Banchō). There are many variations of which the following gist is only one. In summary, Banchō Sarayashiki is a tragic story about a maid called Okiku who is spurned by her samurai lover after she tests his dedication to her by breaking one of several heirloom plates. Put to death for the crime, she becomes a vengeful ghost who haunts him._


	3. Chapter 3: Introductions

Theatre Wars

Chapter 3: In which there are a lot of new characters and Mai is being put upon

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of _Ghost Hunt_.

* * *

Over breakfast, I learn that Haru will be sixteen this year and is in the cast as well. "It's a minor role actually. I'm still in training," she says modestly. "Plus, my uncle wants me to concentrate on my studies now that I'm in high school."

"Your uncle?"

"Nijima Hajime is my uncle. My parents are both dead," she explains casually between mouthfuls of rice.

"Oh. My parents are dead too. I actually live alone." Haru's eyes widen.

"Really?"

A petite man in a light blue yukata wanders over and before I can warn Haru, he whacks her on the back of her head. "Haru! Swallow before you speak!" he scolds.

Haru chokes and then swallows her rice with an effort. "Anzai!" She protests with a laugh. Anzai slides gracefully into the chair next to her and sits with an elbow propping his pointed chin lazily. "Well, and who do we have here? Why haven't you introduced me to your pretty friend, eh?" He winks at me. Haru sighs.

"Mai, this is Anzai Hikaru, one of our resident performers. He's lucky he looks so pretty, since no one would hire him based on his stupid personality." Anzai gives a gurgle of laughter.

"I'm actually secretly ultra-talented," he says, leaning over the table to speak to me. Haru rolls her eyes.

"Mai is with SPR, the ghost hunting team hired by uncle and Umezo-san. Give her a break."

Anzai immediately grows sober. "_Really_? Then has Haru told you about the shadow that appears in the left wing of the main theatre? They say it looks like the figure of a woman with long unkempt hair and fingernails the length of her body…"

Haru dismisses it with a snort. "Anzai. Are you still telling that story? You've scared half of Aoi's members to death."

"They're so stupid they deserve it," Anzai drawls as he loops his hair into an elegantly loose bun. In the meantime, I make a mental note to tell Naru to check the sources of all paranormal sightings when we conduct the interview session later. Haru gives me an apologetic look as soon as Anzai wanders away.

"He's like that. Everyone thinks he's meek and polite because he looks so delicate," she explains. I smile. If there was someone jinxing the performance, it couldn't be these people. Though, Anzai-san's rumour-mongering probablyhasn't helped things. After clearing away our utensils, Haru looks at her watch. "Why don't I show you the grounds? I've a little time before the others start coming in."

We had made a tour of the garden by the theatre, with its (artificial) koi pond, winding stone paths and small disused well (genuine) when I spot a black van drive up to the porch of the main building – Lin is back and Naru has already gone out to meet him. Haru peers up at me slyly.

"So, how long have you and your boss been dating?"

"What do you mean?" I sputter. "If anyone likes that jerk they're very welcome to him."

Haru chuckles knowingly. "Oho. I don't think you mean that at all. You didn't let go of his hand at all yesterday."

"I… what?" My face flames at the recollection. "It was an accident. Anyway how did you...

My eye twitches when I recall the shadow. "So it was _you_ in the garden!"

Haru blinks, puzzled, "What do you mean?"

_Eh_? But before I can ask her, I catch Naru signalling me to go over and help Lin with the equipment. "I better go," I say, giving my new friend a hasty wave. There'll be time to repair my reputation later...

"Where _were_ you?" Naru grumbles crabbily as soon as I reach. His eyes are bloodshot. Typical. That workaholic. "Didn't you get any sleep last night at all?" I ask. He pinches the bridge of his nose before giving me an odd look. "In a manner of speaking."

What kind of answer is that? And - there is so much equipment! It looks as though Naru emptied Lin's room of all the cameras and screens and then some. I have run back for a third load when a truck drives up. A man gets out from the back and sees us.

"Oh good. Take these for me!" he says and thrusts a box at Naru, who looks infuriated to be mistaken for the menial help. "And these too," the man continues as he loads Naru with several brightly coloured feather boas. "You won't _believe_ the condition of these old country roads. Damn ride is at least an hour on potholes."

"As a matter of fact, I do know," Naru says coldly as he dumps the offending man's items on me and Lin. "Mai. Get to base as soon as you put those somewhere. Lin, you too."

The man shrugs as he lights up a cigarette. "What's got his pants in a twist so early in the morning?" he asks.

Lin and I look at each other and I have to fight back the urge to laugh out. Lin raises an eyebrow but I can see that twitch in his jaw and I know he's trying not to laugh too.

"Excuse us sir," I say. "But we're not with the theatre groups. We're here to investigate their complaints about paranormal events."

"Really?" The man looks surprised. "Kensho never said anything. Ah well. So long as it doesn't mess with my script," he says and looks at me worriedly. "It won't right?"

"I doubt so," Lin adds, and begins walking back up to the lobby. Along the way, we see Kikuchi rushing out, looking flustered. "No, no! Ito-kun! How many times do I have to tell you to go to the loading bay? Everyone's already waiting…"

Back at our base, Naru's mood is still sour from the encounter in the morning and I quietly pass him a cup of tea. No sense in working for an angry boss and Lin's words have mollified me. Bent over his folder, he accepts it with the barest hint of a nod while my eyes hungrily follow the path the tea takes down his throat. _For goodness sake, it was only a dream, Mai_, I tell myself. Besides, haven't I better tell Naru about it…somehow… My face heats up again and I smack it.

Naru twitches at the sound. "The least you could do after slacking off this morning is to at least refrain from absurd behaviour."

"And what were _you_ up to? Didn't see you around either," I grumbled.

"_I,_" Naru said with dignity. "have been up since four double-checking the blueprints while you were still sleeping."

The door creaks open but instead of any of the cast members whom we have been expecting to interview, it is Hara Masako at the threshold, looking pale in a deep emerald green and blue kimono. "Good morning. I came as soon as I could," she murmurs, clasping a sleeve to her nose.

"Hello Masako. How are you today?" I greet as she glides in.

"Oh, I feel awful Shibuya-san," she whispers faintly as though it had been him and not me who asked. Naru, of course does not reply even though she's moving meaningfully to where he is seated. The opportunity to get back at Naru is too good to miss though, and I stand aside and let her swoon dramatically onto his lap instead. To my disappointment, Naru is swifter than I've given him credit for and he is out of the chair before Masako is halfway across the room. Stuck in the middle of her act, she has no choice but to sway into Naru's recently vacated seat instead. I beam innocently around, ignoring the the glare Naru is giving me. Lin snorts and then tries to turn it into a cough when he catches my eye.

"What do you sense, Hara-san?"

Masako still has an upraised sleeve and what I could see of her face did look rather green. Perhaps it's due to her clothes, but I doubt it.

"There're definitely spirits here. I can't get a clear sense of their motivations though, except that they aren't a benign presence," she says. I shiver, remembering the strange shadow and I am wondering how to bring up the matter of my dream in a clean manner when the door flies open with a bang, admitting a large group of people that are shouting and waving angrily at each other.

They are making so much noise that even Lin is induced into tearing himself from typing on his laptop to watch. Some of them appear to have been trying on costumes halfway and are trailing bits of kimono, leather armour, pairs of zōri, hats and a fake spear or two. Among them, I spot a familiar face – Kikuchi-san is unsuccessfully trying to separate two men who are pushing at each other angrily.

"Takehata! Natsume-dono! Please desist right now the two of you!"

This is not helped by how most of the others are shaking fists at each other threateningly and not listening at all when a stack of shelves slide to the floor with an awful metallic screech. The group freezes.

"It slipped." Lin says, pokerfaced when we look at him.

Kikuchi looks immensely relieved as he replaces his glasses, which are dangling from one ear after the mini brawl.

"R-Right. Shibuya-san has specified that interviews are one-to-one. Natsume-dono, you go first. The others, please wait outside."

The man called Takehata immediately reddens. "Kikuchi! What do you mean by favouring an Aoi member? Besides, I was waiting here first!"

Kikuchi flaps his hand in agitation. "No, no, you're mistaken. Natsume-dono has to go first because he is scheduled for the costume fitting next. You on the other hand, should finish trying your costume before coming here."

Takehata looks down and we can all tell from his expression that it is the first time he notices that he is wearing a kimono over a T-shirt and baggy shorts and only one zōri on his foot. Natsume smirks. "Well then Takehata-kun, you better listen to the manager," he says sneeringly before dropping into the chair opposite Naru and with a careless wave, dismisses everyone. "Aoi brat," some of the others who had came with Takehata mutters as they are shepherded back out through the door by a visibly harassed looking Kikuchi.

Naru shuffles some of the papers and rests his laced fingers on top of them. "Well then Ito Natsume. You can start by telling me what you have experienced to be paranormal activity."

"Ah, you know who I am!" he crows in delight. "What performance of mine have you caught?"  
"Umezo-san has supplied me with a list of all cast members. I for one have no personal preference for the theatre," Naru answers dampeningly and I have to hide a smile when Natsume's dazzling grin fades.

"Huh! I see. Well Shibuya, you'll find out a lot more about our kind while you're here amongst us. I am sure you've heard of the saying… _when in Rome, do as the Romans do_, though I doubt your command of foreign languages, I am sure you get the gist of what I'm trying to say."

I snort loudly this time and trade an amused smile with Masako now that her eyes are gleaming mischievously and her initial hostility is gone. Naru remains stony-faced. "Ito-san. Kindly keep to the point of the interview. I'm certain you saw the others waiting for their turns before you gate crashed."

Natsume shrugs. "They're just secondary cast and crew. They've got all morning free while _I'm_ busy being fitted out. Anyway, I came in to tell you that the story about Okiku which the old Nijima fed you isn't real. _Anyone_ in ATC will be able to tell you that it's the ghost of famed _kabuki _actress Ito Shizuko who's haunting this place. Now _that_ is the stuff of _real_ tragedies."

Naru's gaze sharpens and he leans forward slightly. "I'd heard something like that, but do carry on."

Basking in the attention, Natsume somehow manages to lounge on the tiny desk chair as he examines his manicured nails. "Hmm?" he looks up innocently. "What? I can't remember? I believe it has... something to do with the Nijimas cursing us poor ATC? That or my complexion..."

Naru's patience, normally already short-lived is clearly being sorely tried. "_Ito_-san. Please focus. You are not five anymore," he says coldly. Natsume scowls, his flawless features marred for a second by a sulkily turned down mouth and hard eyes.

"Oh _fine_, Shizuko it is then. As the story goes, she and her beau had a lovers' tiff on the penultimate performance of night of _Banchō Sarayashiki_, and drowned under suspicious circumstances that same night. Ever since then, they say her embittered spirit haunts the theatre in search of the man who killed her."

"I notice that she has the same family name as you."

"Well _of course_. She's my great-aunt," Natsume says indignantly. "I can't understand why uncle's even collaborating with that Ichibara lot," His eyes slide towards the door and narrows deviously. "Especially since they're the murderers who've brought Shizuko's curse down on us all," he mutters darkly.

"Say that again you fiend!" Takehata bursts in. Natsume is out of the chair in seconds. "Murderers!" Natsume repeats almost gleefully once he has put the table safely between him and the raging man and I know then that he has been counting on Takehata to have been listening in.

"Filthy liar! Everyone knows Haruo-san was acquitted! If anything, your Shizuko was a seductress!"

Haruo? Shizuko? Oh damn…it looks like my dream's important after all. Naru has stood up as well and looks like as though he is going to pop a vein.

"_Quiet_!"

We all jump at the harshness of Naru's voice and I accidentally whack my hand on the table. Takehata and Natsume and even Naru stares at me. _Eheheh_. "It was an accident," I say when Masako grabs my other hand suddenly, a frightened expression on her face. The lights in the room flicker haphazardly. The next thing, Lin is up as well. "Naru!" he shouts warningly.

"I know. Don't move," Naru orders, the last bit directed at the two men who are in any case, not so much moving as cowering in fright on the spot. The windows fog over and I know that the temperature must have dropped. Where? I look up at the ceiling nervously, but a tug on my sleeve has me looking at Masako instead.

"The wall," she mumbles from behind her sleeve and suddenly, a putrid smell fills the air. Someone whimpers – is it Natsume or Takehata? Then, where there was a bare stretch of the wall, a shadow seems to materialise. It hovers uncertainly and then with an animal-like shriek, dives for Naru.

* * *

_Notes: It may be a little late to say this, but given how this fic has to do with theatre troupes, it would involve a lot of secondary characters. I am trying to keep them to a minimum (I know - am not succeeding). Do not hesitate to PM or drop a review if perplexed or if you simply want to comment on anything. _

_Plot is still going a bit slow - but things ought to heat up in the next chapter. _

_Thank you also, for all your charming reviews. You know who you are! =)_


	4. Chapter 4: Discovery

Theatre Wars

Chapter 3: In which there are spirits and Mai discovers something

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of _Ghost Hunt_.

Apologies for the late update. I meant to have this up last weekend but it didn't happen due to various circumstances.

Enjoy!

* * *

Everything happens so quickly it ought to have been a blur, but I see clearly what everything is happening. Naru takes a step forward, a strange look on his face. Lin has clearly been prepared for this kind of things and I suspect ever since the seaside case, he's put his shiki on alert all the time during cases. Too late! The ghost seems bent on getting to Naru and it weaves among the shiki like a putrid cloud. I am out of the chair before my brain has even finished registering that I've done so and I run over. That baka! Why isn't he getting out of the way? There is a scream and I realise that I must have knocked over Natsume in my hurry. At that sound, a bewildered expression crosses Naru's face to be replaced by anger.

"Mai! How many times -" Pushing me aside, he gasps suddenly when the ghost reaches past me and grabs his neck, making a strange crooning sound when she does so.

"Naru!" I scream.

"No, Mai! Get back!" Naru manages to choke out as Masako grabs my shirt from the back. "Mai, wait, let me speak to her," she says, her face white. I nod tightly. Moving over to where the spirit and Naru are, she addresses it. "Let him go. You aren't doing yourself any favours if you hurt him. His guardian's servants will not let you off."

The ghost turns slightly to face Masako. Their gazes lock but Masako isn't intimidated. She repeats what she has say, this time in a gentler, lulling tone. The spirit continues staring but then, with an almost defiant look, she turns back to face Naru. "Haruo…" she rasps, reaching out with her other hand and caressing his left cheek. Naru has gone very still. He notices the shiki darting forward at Lin's discreet order and frowns them down.

"I am not Haruo," he says calmly, as if talking to angry spirits is something he does everyday. The spirit peers at him. There is no mistaking the reproachful look in its empty sockets as it lets go of him.

"…You will be," she rasps again. The shiki immediately dart in front of Naru, forming a protective line of small white lights between them. With a reluctant air, the ghost floats backwards, pausing to look scornfully at Natsume and Takehata cowering beneath her. "They all do…"Then, it fades away just as soon as it hits the wall. As the shiki disappear as well, Naru stumbles to the ground.

"Naru!"

Coughing weakly, he manages to sit up, waving aside Lin and me. "I'm fine," he says. Lin glares at him.

"Are you out of your mind?" he hisses but doesn't get another word in as Natsume's injured wail overpowers his.

"Ahh! My ankle! I'm probably dying!" he wails, jerking away from Haru with exaggerated horror when she tries to help him up. "S-stay away from me," he howls. "I'm _dying_! I don't want to be _cursed_ too!"

"Now, Natsume…" Hiro begins uncomfortably. Natsume throws himself on the floor – which is difficult enough to do since he is already lying on it, and bawls again. "What kind of quacks are you anyway? I demand compensation!"

"Umm," I mutter, "I'm sure even if you're hurt you aren't dying…"

Naru comes over to stand in front of Natsume with his arms folded with an air of the unimpressed.

"My assistant is a certified chiropractor. If you wish, he may certainly put your ankle back."

Natsume's eyes swivel over to Lin, taking in his impossibly tall frame and foreboding countenance and swallowed. "Well… it's not like I can't walk…" he sulks and tries to stand up, only to bite back a wince when Umezo appears in the doorway.

_What is going on_? Umezo Kensho growls from the open door. "I come back and find the rehearsal on hold and half the cast missing…

His eyes travel down to Natsume's limp and his frown darkens. "…and now my lead's gone and injured himself."

Several people glare at us. "It was an accident," Takehata says quickly. "I was here when it happened."

"Doesn't he have an understudy?"

"Of course not!" Several of the Aoi cast look scandalised even though it's their leader saying this. "I mean…who can replace Natsume? He's our star…"

"What about in the case of accidents?" Umezo's query is met with stumped silence. Kikuchi coughs.

"Well, Anzai-san knows the role well enough even though he's not performed it before." Several people give him the evil eye. It's clear which troupe they belong to. Anzai, who has so far been surveying the ruckus with a bored expression from on top of Naru's desk shrugs helplessly at being made the object of their ire.

Natsume flushes. "It's only a mild sprain," he mutters truculently.

"Good, then you'll stay in your room and reflect on your actions. The rest of you, back to work!"

Left to ourselves at last, Naru drops heavily into the nearer chair. "Call Matsuzaki-san," he tells Lin. "And, Mai. Your pay will be docked for a month in lieu of the compensation."

I cringe, waiting for the accompanying lecture but it doesn't happen as Naru turns his attention instead to his notebook with a weary air.

"T-That's it?"

He looks up irritably. "What?"

"You aren't…going to scold me?"

"I've docked your pay haven't I?" he replies impatiently. "And get me tea."

As I hand Naru his steaming cuppa, I wonder if he's being kind, though why he should start now is something I am not so sure about. He frowns at me when he notices that I am still standing there. "Is there something?"

"Where's the lecture?" I state suspiciously on catching his eye. Lin makes a scoffing sound as Naru raises an eyebrow. "Do you _want_ to be lectured? It was an accident and I need you on the case, even as clumsy and inept as you are," he finishes with a smirk. How he does that while drinking his tea so calmly… I huff indignantly as Masako hides a giggle behind her sleeve.

"Speaking of lectures, Naru, I have a bone to pick," Lin interrupts. "What were you thinking, behaving like that? You _know_ you don't have _any_ defense against spirits." Of course, Naru doesn't take well to being scolded or being reminded that he too has his limitations. His shoulders tense instinctively and his demeanour is icy. "I did what I felt was best given the scenario." To judge by Lin's outraged expression, he clearly disagrees but Naru isn't attending anymore. He leans forward minutely, tapping the table with one long slim finger. Haruo…" his manner turns thoughtful. "I would need to find out more about this." Abruptly, he addresses me in particular. "How true do you think Natsume's claim is? That Haruo would murder his co-actor?"

"Huh? Why are you asking me?" I ask, flustered by the intensity of his gaze.

"Because your instinct is usually correct," Naru reminds me. Oh. For a moment, I could swear that he was asking because he somehow _knew_ about my dream, but that's not possible. Naru is no seer. "I don't think so," I say at last. He nods curtly.

"Very well. Go set up the cameras first. We need to monitor the situation. Those actors might be in more trouble than they know."

That's true. Naru wasn't the only one who got the brunt of Ito Shizuko's glare. Natsume and Takehata seem to have caught her attention as well. Lin frowns darkly. "I could say the same for someone else." Naru doesn't deign to reply and instead hands me the checklist quietly. Masako peers at the map in my hand. "Naru, there is one more thing. When I first walked in here from the front porch, there was a strange presence standing in the garden."

My breath caught in my throat. So it wasn't Haru then. Naru remembers too and his gaze shifts between Masako and me. "Where in the garden?"

"By a red bridge."

I tick it off my clipboard in satisfaction as soon as I've set up the camera in the attic. Now, all that's left is the unused green room in the theatre itself. Peering through the dust-caked window, I can see that the sun is setting, a large crimson globe burning the tops of the tall maples outside. The cast are still rehearsing and their voices float up through the floorboards as I dither, wondering if they'll let me crash their practice session to set up a camera in the green room. It's a slim hope that they'll leave any time soon.

Hiro, when I had asked him earlier says they'll likely be rehearsing till late. In the end, I settle on having a look around first. The attic is crammed full of interesting, artsy looking junk. Several tailor's dummies have been abandoned in a corner, one of them still wearing a moth-eaten black velvet hat with a curly feather and starry veil grey with dust. A mirror is standing on the floor next to the mannequins, its ornate frame black and grimy. Remembering what Yukiko said, I don't look at it directly. Mirrors unnerve me and as Bou-san once mentioned, you never know who might look back. Moving on, I see a box full of _noh_ masks with ticket stubs and ancient yellow envelopes stuffed into it. The ink has faded with age but I see several of them have been addressed to Ito Shizuko. I lift them out slowly, careful not to tear any of the aged paper when a shadow darts across the circular patch of burning light cast by the window. I stiffen. Then, another shadow flits by, its reflection caught on the curve of the lens in front of me...

_Opening the conference room door, I am surprised to see Naru alone. He is reading the script and doesn't immediately notice me. Smiling to myself, I sidle up to him. "What is it?" he asks without looking up. I pout. "Honestly, what do I have to do to get a little of your attention eh?"_

_He looks up finally but instead of smiling like he usually does, his mouth is downturned. "Not now; I'm busy as you can see."_

_"Liar. You had the script memorized two days after receiving the first draft." He ignores me and I frown. "You certainly thought I was very entertaining last month," I mutter bitterly. Naru's gaze hardens. "As you said, last month," he answers coolly. His answer stings and I ball my fists angrily. He notices and smirks slightly. "Why? Can't you quell your libido for an instant or do you perhaps want me on the couch again when you know I'm already –_

_He stops suddenly, angrily. "And I thought you were a nice, modest girl."_

_"I am. I only want you, not your family name, status or anything…"_

_He bursts out of the chair and looms in front of me angrily. "I've a duty to my family. Try to understand that." I can feel tears well up. "It's not fair. Only she's prettier and richer than I am…" I sniff, wiping away at my streaming eyes and nose. "And she dances better too, I suppose," I add. Naru – no, Haruo smiles faintly at this (Naru would never smile like that). "Well, be that as it may, she certainly doesn't tidy as well as you or have your knack of brewing that impossible European style tea." He kisses me chastely on the cheek. "I never asked," he mused lightly. "Just where did a girl who grew up on a vegetable farm in Nagano learn to do that?"_

"I'm not from Nagano…" I mumble sleepily, turning away when someone prods me. "Ugh… stop that…"

"Honestly, can't this girl stay awake long enough to say hello?" There is, I feel, something familiar about this voice… "Jeez… and I rushed all the way to this ridiculous hillside theatre and your assistant is taking a nap!"

I bolt up at that, wide awake. "Ayako!". She flinches back in surprise.

"I thought you said she collapsed," Ayako says indignantly. Looking about I see Naru leaning against the conference table.

"She did," he replies mildly when I moan, flopping down back onto the couch. "Ugh. My head…"

He hands me a cup of tea; his way of reassuring me. "Thanks." But right now, I feel too ill to drink anything. Shizuko's feelings haven't fully passed yet and I can't look at Naru without feeling like crying. It must show because Ayako presses a hand to my forehead concernedly. "I'm fine," I say half-heartedly and she snorts, getting up with one hand on her hip.

Naru sighs. "Matsuzaki, kindly go and inform Masako to regroup at the theatre." Ayako smirks. "If you want to be alone you only have to say the word."

What?

"Ayako! Hey, wait!" I protest but she's already out of the door, her red _hakama_ rustling busily down the hallway.

Abandoned to nurse the tea by myself, I sip it despondently as Naru clatters around in front of the video screens clicking restlessly through each room. As the images flit past, I notice some of them were of the attic and green room which I don't recall setting up. "Did you set those up?" I ask Naru as I move over to one of the desk chairs. That old couch has too many memories in it for me to feel comfortable sitting on it.

"Lin did," Naru answers, a trace of annoyance creeping into his crisp tone. Ah, so I wasn't the only one being quarantined.

"Have you been in here all this while?"

Naru doesn't deign to reply, which means he has and I chuckle quietly. "So what happened?" He raises an eyebrow.

"You don't remember?"

I shake my head.

"You blacked out in the attic."

"Oh."

"Fortunately, you fainted right in front of the camera," he adds as he runs the video feed back to show me. I scowl at him.

"I call that nice of you," I say sarcastically. "Taking videos of people when they're at their most vulnerable." There. Another word which I must have picked up from him. He smirks. "That's not saying much considering how much trouble you get yourself into usually." _Jerk_.

"Discounting how your skirts alone are a hazard." I look at the video image of myself with a generous exposure of my thigh thanks to how my skirt has managed run up during my fall. "Shut up Naru," I growl, elbowing him out of the way before turning off the screen. Honestly. He grins smugly and then unfolds the letters from the attic.

"Well, at least it wasn't a wasted trip." I squint over Naru's shoulder at the spidery handwriting. "Can you read this?"

That's right. Naru can't read kanji and whoever wrote those letters wrote in a rather calligraphic hand which even _I_ had difficulty reading. "My…sweet…charming…" I put the letter down. "It's a love letter. Do I have to continue?" I grumble. Naru grins maliciously and I stick my tongue out behind his back. "Of course, Mai. There might be some clues in here."

"I see. If that's the case, why didn't you get someone else to read it while I was out?"

"Hmm. As most of them were running around tending to you, I don't see how they should be burdened with reading this."

I sag unhappily, eyeing the tea sourly. If I am to finish reading this I am going to need something stronger than that.

_…koibito… It pains me to have to cancel our appointment tonight. I have to be away tonight to accompany Father to the district meeting. In the mean time, my beautiful koibito, please enjoy the flowers and the dessert…_ I stop. "It goes on like this."

"Go on," Naru murmurs vaguely, his attention fixed to the screen. That…that…robot! _…Be sure to try that Assam. I guarantee you it's nothing like that tepid green tea which Father likes so much." _I scan the letter once more. "It's dated the 15th June of the year Showa 26.

The slight dip of Naru's head shows he has been listening. "Shizuko went missing on the 17th and her body was found a week later. This letter indicates that at least up till the point of its writing, we can assume that Shizuko and Haruo had not been quarrelling with each other. Read the other two that are dated later as well." Muttering under my breath, I read the second sheet. "This one is dated the 17th."

_My dear koibito. Hope this letter finds you well. Have I ever told you how much I love you? Let's meet tonight after the performance in the garden. Be sure to be there because I will be waiting for you, forever._

"This is stupid, Naru," I complain as I unfold the last one. Something red drips onto my palm. Huh? "Did you spill something on it?" I ask as another drop spills onto my hand. This time Naru looks up. We exchange a glance as the dripping increases and it dawns on me that the letter is bleeding. My hands tremble. "Sh-should I put it on the table?"

"Mai. I want you to stay calm."

"H-hai."

"Put the letter on the floor."

Once I have done so, Naru flips over a corner carefully. _Die. Die. Die_. "This is interesting," he taps the corner where the date is beginning to congeal. "But… that's today's date," I point out, looking up at Naru anxiously. "I suppose you could say it's a warning," he replies finally. I can feel myself trembling, but this time with anger. "She has no right." I growl, snatching up the letter. "Mai-

Naru's tone is sharp. "I'll need that."

Oh right… I flush as I hand it over hastily to cover my outburst. Why am I so mad anyway? I refuse to think that maybe…just maybe…a _ghost_ is jealous of me and I sigh. "I'll go get tea." It was better than brooding over the letter.

But, when I return, Naru isn't in the base. It is so unlike Naru to leave it unmanned that for a moment I stare at the empty room at a loss. Placing the tea on the nearest empty space I turn eagerly at the sound of footsteps, but it is only Ayako and Masako, arguing loudly. My heart sinks and I stare suspiciously at the pile of letters in an untidy heap. Naru never leaves things by half.

"Mai? Mai! Where're you going?" Ayako yells as I dash for the door.

"It's Naru!"

I rush down the corridor, turn down another and arrive outside the men's room. I raise my fist but before it has touched the wood, the door swings open. Stepping in, I look at the sparse interior. A black jacket is hanging off a chair, the futons neatly bundled. "Naru?" I call softly. Something clatters from the adjoining room and I walk over to it. Pushing open the door, I see Naru in front of the mirror, his shirt unbuttoned. "Mai." His voice is cold but I detect a slight tremor in it all the same. Turning so that he is facing me, I feel my breath catch. A thin red scar is running all around his neck like some nightmare collar.

* * *

_Notes: Yup, here is the next chapter. I hope the dream sequence was clearly portrayed in its own little italicised section... I was wondering if not formatting would have made it too confusing and decided to just bite the bullet..._

_In addition, I'll be away the whole of the next week so there'll be no updates in the interim. I'll be back to updating again soon after that!_

_Kindly drop a review! I'll love to know what you think... =)_


	5. Chapter 5: Annoying

Theatre Wars

Chapter 5: In which there are a lot of actors and Naru is annoying.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of _Ghost Hunt_.

Hola! I know I said this chapter will be out earlier and it's really a rough one - sitting on it is only going to make it more convoluted - so here it is.

Enjoy!

* * *

"Naru…" my voice falters as he leans wearily into the table edge. He traces the scar gingerly. "This is unexpected," he says tersely when Lin bursts in, followed more slowly by Ayako and Masako. "What happened?"

Their breaths catch at the sight of the red welts around Naru's previously unblemished skin.

"I suppose I'm well-favoured by the lady of the house."

… How can he joke at a time like this? He hands the cursed letter to Lin, who takes it carefully by the edges. "When?"

"The letter began bleeding when I had Mai read them out."

Ayako and Masako crowd round as well, the older woman wrinkling her nose in distaste at the three words repeated across the page. "Ouch. Looks like a rather unpleasant warning letter. Does it hurt?"

Naru's fingers go unconsciously to the scarring. "No," he says too quickly for me to believe it to be true. Ayako's professional interest is clearly piqued. "Mind if I have a look? I may not look it, but I _am_ a certified doctor."

"Not at all."

We all watch as she examines him, Lin joining her at one point. "Has it changed since earlier on?" he asks.

"Not any that I can sense."

Ayako steps back. "It doesn't look very deep. At the least, it shouldn't affect your eating or breathing, which if you ask me, you should be extremely thankful for. The only problem…"

Masako nods once. "Yes… The problem is the rate at which the curse progresses." We all look expectantly at Naru and he gives a careless shrug. "In my opinion, I think less than five days," he says. "Shizuko died on the 17th, and it's her death anniversary three days from today."

"_Three_ days?" Ayako snorts. "Isn't that a little difficult, even for someone like you?" Naru walks towards the only exit and we all instinctively move aside for him. The door flies open and Hiro rushes in, panting. "Shibuya-san? It's an emergency!"

The emergency as it turns out, is Natsume. Well, not just Natsume, but all the men from Aoi. They had all varying brands on them, similar to Naru's. They had all been sitting, too stunned to move, but on spotting Naru, Natsume jumps up, and before anyone can stop him, grabs hold of Naru by his collar. "_What_ do you think you're doing?" he yells loud enough for me, standing metres away, to wince. Naru disengages himself curtly. "If you're dissatisfied with my company, you may dismiss us."

"_Natsume!_" Umezou-san snaps irritably. "This is not how you treat people!"

"Yes-yes, you should calm down, Natsume-dono," Takashi adds tremulously, to which Natsume glares venomously. "Of course you would say that, secretary-san, you're as anyone with eyes to see, unscathed, as are _all_ of the Icibara men! If this isn't proof that they're cursing us, I don't know what is!"

Naru frowns. "Is this true?"

Haru nods. "None of them have the scarring."

"_Well?"_ Natsume growls. "What has the great detective to say, huh?"

Naru silently unbuttons his collar, revealing the scarring that he too bears. "To be exact, not all of Aoi's members."

His announcement is met with mute silence which is finally broken by Ike-san. "Neither Umezou nor I have the scars."

Naru raises an eyebrow sarcastically. "I believe I was not mistaken in hearing that all the _men_ in Aoi have been cursed?"

"Well, actually, it's only me, Natsume and Kouki," Hiro admits nervously. "I'm guessing only men below thirty are affected."

"Either way, he _isn't_," Natsume yells, jabbing a finger at Anzai accusingly, and who lifts both his shoulders in a shrug. "I didn't curse you," he mutters irritably. "And the other men are fine too."

He looks at Naru steadily. "It looks more to me like someone wants to stop the investigation, seeing as you weren't spared either Shibuya."

"You seem very certain that someone is involved," Naru remarks. He hasn't told them about the cursed letter. A cold feeling grips me. What if by reading that letter, I'd somehow caused this? I try to speak but Natusme throws himself into a nearby chair agitatedly. "I give up. We're all going to die."

"It could have been me," I murmur, hanging my head guiltily.

"What? Why?" Hiro asks.

"I-I opened a letter written by Shizuko, and – and there was blood…"

"Mai!" Naru growls. "Don't be stupid. You don't even have the mental capability to curse."

"It could have been an accident," I protest, stung at being insulted twice over. Anzai snorts, breaking into laughter. "Mai-chan, how sweet of you to take responsibility." Naru stiffens. "As the situation stands, I can hardly call it a laughing matter, Anzai-san, and kindly do not involve my assistant."

"But Naru, he was only trying to…"

Anzai's smile fades. "No, he's right. I'll better be off then. You wouldn't need us anymore will you?"

"That's right," Naru replies coldly.

"Well, what now, Shibuya-san?" Umezou presses as several of the men left. Naru, whose attention is fixed on Anzai's exit, turns at the mention of his name. The men who have been affected by the curse are all listening anxiously. "What interests me is why Ito Shizuko would curse her own descendants."

There is a low murmur. They haven't considered that yet. "But how…" Takashi asks.

Naru smirks, his first in a while. "I suppose we'll have to ask her."

* * *

The air is filled with the scent of incense. "Can you feel it?" Masako asks me. "Mmhmm," I whisper, seeing her glance carefully at Naru. "Lin-san isn't taking any chances is he?" We're in the main auditorium, the place where she has felt the strongest presence so far. There is a sort of fierce buzz around Naru, thanks to the _shiki_ that are protecting him. "They're making their presence felt. Something must worry them," Masako says, as she scans the area with the same measured care which she had used to observe Naru.

"Are you scared?" I whisper back. Masako's nose wrinkles in disdain. "I've dealt with things worse than you have ever seen." I blink innocently.

"Worse even than Urado?" Her face pales and she lifts a sleeve close to her. "You shouldn't ask about things you don't really want an answer to," she answers delicately. "Now, if you'll _excuse me_, _I_ actually have work to do."

I watch as she moves to the centre of the stage, the single candle which she had lit gutting in the air. The flame, the only source of light in the theatre, wavers and then goes out with a soft puff, the smoke rising slowly. As my eyes adjust, darker and lighter shades of black dancing in front of me, I become aware that one patch is deeper and denser than the rest. Masako's attention is fixed on it.

"Itou Shizuko?" Masako enquires cautiously. The spirit doesn't move.

"We won't hurt you. I just want to speak to you," she entreats cajolingly. The vaguely human-shaped patch wavers like the shadow of a candle flame. "I want… _him_." No guesses who Shizuko wants. Lin inches closer to Naru.

"You can't. He isn't who you're looking for. If we can help in any way…"

Remembering all too well what had happened earlier, I know Masako must be trying to make up for her blunder. The blurry figure seems to darken angrily, but it's hard to tell what's going on without any light.

"He's the right one. He…likes his tea…"

There is a loud guffaw, cut abruptly, which must have been Ayako. Masako frowns. "Why have you been cursing the people of Aoi?"

The spirit shakes, and a low, hoarse sound emits from where its mouth should be. "They deserve it. Those who got in our way… They'll pay." The spirit turns to gaze back down at Masako. "Don't you agree?" it says sweetly.

"That shouldn't be the way…"

I frown. Masako's voice seems to be fainter, as if it's coming from a very long way. "Itou-san, please hear us out…" I lean forward, straining to hear, as the spirit bends to speak to Masako. I feel Ayako put a restraining hand on me. "Don't. Something's wrong," she warns when Lin rushes forward. "Damn! Hara-san! Get away from her!"

Masako's face, white and her lips trembling murmurs something, shaking her head, but we cannot hear her. The spirit splits into a wide, red grin as it looks at Naru. "Meet me in the powder room," it whispers.

"I prefer not to," Naru replies shortly. The _shiki_ have morphed into wisps of light, their attack mode. He glances at Masako, wide-eyed, stiff, and clearly frightened as Shizuko grips her shoulder in a vice. "Let her go first."

"Naru!" Lin growls. "Don't interfere!"

"What do you want with us?" Masako whispers finally. The spirit leers. "_Right _question at last, little medium." It jabs a wavy black shadow appendage in Naru's direction. "I'll be waiting. Or else those men…"

"Wait."

There is the sound of a match striking, and the light of a single candle blossoms against the dark. With an anguished moan, the shadow of Shizuko fades away, Masako collapsing in relief on the ground. We all turn to the source of light, Naru looking particularly irritated.

"Oh, _gomen_. Was I interrupting something?" Anzai asks, holding up a bundle of red candles. "Who needs these? Seems our power got cut…"

Not unexpectedly, after what happened, Lin ha gone into full blown mother-hen mode and for the moment, Naru is off the case, at least on an official basis. This hasn't stopped him from walking about or ordering the rest of us around though.

"Mai. Hand me the black file. No, the other one."

"Why can't you do it yourself eh?" Bou-san grumps. Naru spares him a withering glance. "Unlike you, I am busy," he answers as he flips to a page. I peer over his shoulder curiously at the portrait of the handsome dark-eyed man dominating the engagement announcement in a scan of a yellow newspaper.

"Is that the notorious Haruo?" Bou-san asks noisily as he comes to look as well. Both he and John have been recruited since Naru's "retirement" from the case, though, they have been, in Naru's terms, "nuisances more than they are help".

Naru doesn't bother to reply. "From this and the clients' respective accounts, Haruo and Shziuko's match was looked favourably on by all the interested parties."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Bou-san demands, earning himself an impatient glare.

"Because Shizuko claims their relationship to have been thwarted by her own family," Naru explains in a bored tone when the computer emits a beeping sound.

"The temperature reading in the powder room is showing an unusual dip. Mai, go and check if Takigawa's accidentally tripped over the wire on his patrols earlier."

"Oi. There's no need to be spiteful, Naru, just because you're stuck in base."

"Ignore him," I say loudly as I set three tea cups down on the table. "He's just in a bad mood because, unlike normal people, he needs _two_ people to babysit him." John smiles nervously as Bou-san and Naru both express their disagreement by silently glaring at each other. No one had trusted that Bou-san would not accidentally allow Naru to escape, but then neither had Lin been confident that John's mild temperament would be suited to the job while he and Masako investigated the room as Naru's proxies. Half a day has passed, with no success, and in the peace at least, rehearsals have been going on smoothly, the cast's unease having been resolved temporarily by Ayako's paper charms.

"Are you sure you three will be alright while I'm gone?" I ask as I head for the door.

"_Yes_." Naru and Bou-san say before glaring and walking away to opposite ends of the room.

Heh.

* * *

"Excuse me miss, coming through…"

"Oh, sorry, didn't see you there."

"You aren't part of the cast? Where's the director?" I shake my head and nearly ram it into Ike-san carrying a large piece of board.

"Whoa there jou-chan," he says, his eyes twinkling. "What's the rush?"

"There's no rush," I say guiltily and promptly tread on somebody's shoes. "Ouch," Anzai winces. "Oh my foot! I can't perform anymore! Umezou-jisan! Help!" he cries, pretending to fall over dramatically in an eerie imitation of Natsume. I grin as Ike-san frowns disapprovingly. "Ichibara antics," he mutters sourly. Anzai swiftly darts over to him, holding up the other end of the board. "If I may assist?" he offers, flashing a disarmingly charming smile. Ike-san snorts. "Really, there's no need. Besides, Yukiko is here," he states ominously as Anzai's attention is immediately caught, the cheeky smirk softening at the sight of her. Sighing, Ike-san makes a shooing action at Anzai. "Run along then, I can manage. I'm not that old," he adds as Anzai strodes quickly away with only a hasty "goodbye _ojiisan_".

"Well. That's the Ichibara stray cat for you," he sighs as he mops his brow with the edge of the towel he'd draped round his shoulders.

"It's a nickname that suits him," I chuckle as I watch Anzai's failed attempts to flirt with Yukiko. "Doesn't she like him?" Ike-san shrugs.

"Who knows. She's always been pokerfaced, that one. As it is, given how pretty she is, she barely only makes it to _deshi_. She's a good dancer though. Pity about her acting skills."

I thought about it. "Natsume isn't as good as Anzai either," I point out. Ike shrugs again.

"That brat will completely outshine her, and he's not from the family is he? And well, I suppose it's only appropriate for them to perform against each other. I know the bosses are trying to get them together."

I stare at Yukiko as she stands in the middle of the stage dreamily as Anzai flutters around her and at Natsume who is lounging in the director's chair and fanning himself darkly, completely uninterested in either his potential fiancée or the competition. It'd be hard to find two people more indifferent to each other. A loud cough jolts me and Ike-san ruffles my hair. "Well, you aren't hearing anything else from me. I'm holding you up aren't I? Can I help point you there?" he asks, gesturing at the mess onstage. I shake my head.

"Thanks, but I'm going to the powder room." To my surprise, his gaze darkens suddenly and he waves over Hiro, who has just walked in with Haru. "Here, Hiro-kun," he says as Hiro separates from Haru and moves over.

I eye the pink muffler which he is wearing and catching where I was looking, he blushes slightly. "Ha-Haru-chan made that for me," he says almost bashfully.

"Oh." I share a knowing smile with Ike-san. Hiro blushes some more and coughs awkwardly. "Anything I can help with?"

Ike-san sighs. "Then, I suggest you be careful. Listen to what we know about _that_ room."

_When we first arrived, I was naturally curious about the stage. Ginsui's a grand old dame of a theatre and I wanted to have a look before anyone else. Now, I'm not the sort to be terrified of the dark or crammed spaces; I can't be because it's my job to go into such places. But, you know, the green room on the house right terrifies me. No one uses the left wing's balcony level changing room, not since I was last here… and that was… I would say about six years ago. I get a sense of horror, like there's something nasty waiting in there whenever I go near it…_

Ike-san's account has sent an unpleasant chill down when he spoke of this place and I hover uncertainly between the curtains. Inside, it is almost pitch-dark, the only light source coming from the stage area, where Ike-san and the rest are. Where are Lin, Masako or Ayako? How strange… the wings are empty of people. It's so quiet here I can hear my own breathing. The sounds of the rehearsal starting up again seem to come from very far away. Perhaps I missed the others being delayed on stage and I walk round to the narrow wooden stairs at the back when someone grabs me.

* * *

"Naru!" I squeak. "You idiot!"

"Where _were _you?"

He doesn't wait but starts up the stairs. "Umm… Naru? What are you doing? You shouldn't be here!" I whisper angrily. The very slight pause in his steps and turned profile shows he's listening. "When you hadn't reached the room after ten minutes, the monk became convinced you might have been attacked by spirits," he explains dryly.

I flush. "Well, speak of yourself! And how did you get past them?" Even in the gloom, I can see Naru's smirk. "Too easily. And there is something I want to personally investigate."

"Lin is going to flip," I mutter as we reach the top. Naru walks ahead cautiously as he gropes for the light switch. Finding a row of switches, he gives them a few experimental flicks but nothing happens.

_"That's right," adds Hiro-kun as he joins the conversation around the dinner table .The electricity is funny on that side. No matter what we do, it switches on and off sporadically…_

"Never mind," says Naru calmly as he goes towards the door. A sense of dread washes over me.

"Interesting."

I jump, instinctively grabbing Naru's elbow. He stiffens and I let go hurriedly, feeling a blush spread across my face. "Sorry."

He sweeps one finger along the pipe, wiping a layer of green off it. I wrinkle my nose. "What's that? Mould?"

"Algae, to be specific. Remind me to ask about the water source for the theatre later."

"Uh…h-hai…"

We move on.

_But that's not all. Once, I dropped my torchlight up here accidentally and it rolled over_ _to the door on that side. The switch hit the floor when it fell, and in the beam of light, I saw a pair of feet standing in the doorway. I must have blinked though, because it was gone after that_.

I clutch Naru's black sleeve. "Er, I don't think we should be up here," I whisper, frightened. Hiro's account of the ghost sighting is still echoing through my mind. Naru doesn't reply and I look up anxiously. But, instead of Naru, I am holding the pale kimono sleeve of a woman.

Her head twists slowly round to look down at me, and her square mouth parts, emitting a cat-like wail. Dear _kami-sama_…it's all wrong, the way her head is on back-to-front. Every nerve in my body is screaming at me to run, run, _run_, but I can't even blink. "Don't look away." A familiar solid presence comes to stand between me and the ghost woman. It's Naru, his back to me. The spirit and he are standing almost nose to nose but Naru doesn't even flinch. "Stay calm," he says. Slowly, he puts his hand over mine and pries it from the kimono sleeve. The ghost is watching us through black, pupil-less eyes. We back away from her when I step on something wet. Resisting the urge to look down, we back further into the passageway cautiously when Naru accidentally treads on my foot and with a squeak, I fall heavily on the ground. The ghost, which has been watching us, utters a wail suddenly and scrabbles forward on all fours.

"Run!" Naru shouts, yanking me back up. We pound down the narrow walkway, sounds of the creature pursuing behind us. "Ha…ru…o…." it rasps, its spindly arms and legs gaining ground rapidly. Why aren't we getting to an exit? I turn to look.

"Don't look back," Naru yells, and putting his hand to the small of my back, he shoves me forward suddenly. My feet trip over something that has been strung across the walkway and I land again, painfully on my elbows.

"Ha…ru…o…." There are stars dancing before my eyes as I climb shakily to my feet. "Naru?"

The corridor is void of Shizuko or Naru.

* * *

_Notes: Augh! And it got all explanatory and draggy again. *clutches head in dramatic exasperation* the plot will pick up again next chapter, which I am working on already, so hopefully, the next update won't be so long. Till then!_

_Kindly drop a review in the button below. Thanks very much for the love._


	6. Chapter 6: Missing

Theatre Wars

Chapter 6: In which there is a lot of looking and Naru is missing.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of _Ghost Hunt_.

A somewhat shorter chapter than usual. Enjoy!

* * *

_Where am I? I check myself. My hands are bound. The rope is cutting into my skin, so I must still be alive, or I wouldn't feel that kind of physical pain. But that doesn't account for how I got here. I push Mai out of the way, someone grabs me from the back, and I remember feeling the scar burn. I must have lost consciousness then. I try shifting my numb legs and feel pins and needles shooting up as the surface beneath me creaks. There is only a faint blue light but it is enough for me to observe my surroundings. I'm on a bed, my back to the headboard and my wrists tied to the bedpost above me. The thought of being found in this compromising situation by the others is galling and enough impetus for me to try and work those ropes loose even if I doubt they would be coming anytime soon. The bed creaks again but it's not me and I pause. Someone – female from the appearance of the silhouette has joined me, the only visible part of her face is the pearly light glinting off her teeth, which I note are unusually pointed and long._

_"Shizuko."_

_"Why does everyone keep calling me that?" Her voice is hoarse, raspy, but there is no mistaking the mockery in her tone. A hand snakes down the front of my shirt, popping the buttons with long fingers. They feel like ice. Resisting every flight instinct which screamed at me to run away, I meet her eyes with a calm which we both know I don't feel._

_"Why not? What does Haruo call you?"_

_She slides over, moving to kneel in front of me. I can sense my breath catch when she moves out of the shadow. This is a new development, one which I cannot help hating myself for not taking into account._

_"You're not Shizuko."_

_Her face twists angrily, a wild light behind her eyes. It's the look of somebody who has let their anger gotten to them for way too long. "Far too long. I've lived her shadow for far too long."_

_"Then you can't expect me to know who you are." Her eyes light up as her lips curve into laughter. _

_"No, Haruo-san. Your research won't pick anything up on me. I'm nobody. And how can it, when I'm not actually dead?" I can feel my heart race. Much as I want to focus on her strange declaration, I need her to calm down first. Gene should be here. He has a way with people which for all my abilities, lack. But I must try, if I'm to delay my own demise. I lower my voice, speaking slower, softer, more lilting. Gentler, yes, that was the word. "Madam. Even if you aren't, Haruo must be. You're looking for him in the wrong places."_

_"Who says I was looking for him?" She chuckles. "He's right here, with me."_

* * *

Lin is going to kill me. I scramble back up to my knees, my heart thudding. Naru. No. Not Naru. The door is shut but I know that is where they must have gone. Something taps me on the shoulder and I jump, biting back my scream.

"Anzai." My voice comes out all strange and wobbly. He is holding a candle in one hand and a package in the other. "You don't want to go there," he says, when the door opens and Ayako peeps out.

"Mai! What're you doing here?"

"I…"

"Mai?" Ayako's voice is filled with worry. "Are you alright?" Ignoring her, I pull myself away from Anzai and dart into the room just as Lin and Masako emerge. "D-Did either of you see Naru?"

Lin who is in the middle of dusting himself stops. "Isn't he in the base?"

"I…he…" I mumble, flailing for words. Lin's face takes on a mask-like quality as Masako lays a comforting hand on me.

"He asked me to check on the room. I, I was speaking t-too long and he came to find me."

"Damnit, Mai. Why is it always either one of you? If that blockhead wasn't running off by himself after you in tunnels, _you're_ the one who needs rescuing." He pauses, catching his breath. "When?"

"Minutes ago. I didn't see it happen but I'm sure she took him into the powder room."

"But that's impossible. We were in there," Ayako says, bending down and lifting my arm to inspect it. "Look at you. You've hurt yourself again."

"But!"

Masako sinks down beside me too. "The aura in this room is quite strong and I thought I felt something," she says weakly. Ayako looks at us worriedly. "Just what _is_ wrong with this place?" she is saying when John and Bou-san clatter in, stopping dead in their tracks when they see that we're minus one person.

"Oh hell…" Bou-san says, running a hand in frustration through his hair.

"Perhaps you would like to talk downstairs?" Anzai suggests quietly. The others jump, not having noticed immediately and Anzai holds up both palms. "Just a suggestion," he says warily when Lin turns his full-blown glare at him. "We'll take that offer," Ayako quickly says. "I don't know about you all but this place gives me the creeps."

But, we've all barely reached the stage level when Haru jumps up from the first row, wringing her hands worriedly. Our worry must have shown because she bites her lip anxiously, flustered. "Oh dear. I came at a bad time didn't I? Only, perhaps Shibuya-san would like to take a look at what we found outside…"

Lin answers her grimly. "I'm afraid he is not disposed to helping you out. He's been spirited away. In fact, I was about to come look for your uncle to request that for your safety sake, you should all leave the premises for the time being."

* * *

The theatre is strangely empty without the actors, who, after some grumbling and reluctance, have left, all except for Haru, Anzai and Hiro. It's almost sunset again – my third in this place. Shielding my eyes against the slanting rays of light, I see what has gotten the actors upset again. Lined up neatly on the roof beam is a row of nine plates. Bou-san whistles. "How did _those_ get up there?"

"It's happened before. Everyone would be at rehearsal, and then when we come out from it, there would be these plates on the roof. The last time round, Ike-san and Kikuchi-san got a ladder out and climbed up to get them down."

"Couldn't it just be a joke? Someone…" Masako suggests.

"There's never time. Kouki-san said he'd come out for a smoke and he was very sure there was nothing on the roof. Then, minutes later, when we all came out as well, they were there." Haru's eyes reveal her fear. "Do you think… that maybe both Okiku and Shizuko are haunting us?"

Lin shakes his head. "I doubt it. It's more likely that someone must want you to think it is a legendary curse. If we discover who… it's possible they would know where Naru is," he answers gruffly before turning away. Haru looks towards me. "Did I offend him?"

"No," Masako answers for me. "Of all of us, he's probably the most worried."

In the mean time, we're all to try searching for our missing boss. Lin unrolls a large blueprint of the theatre and we all pore over it. "There are a lot of rooms," John remarks unnecessarily in the short silence that has ensued. Haru nods. "I don't think I've seen half of these places, what about you, Anzai?"

"Personally, some of these nooks are practically legendary in their difficulty to get to,' he says, nibbling thoughtfully on a stray strand of hair. A loud clatter makes us all jump. Haru, I can't help noticing with a small smile, grips Hiro's elbow instinctively. "What was that? No one else is supposed to be here," she says. Lin stalks to the door, one arm motioning for us to remain where we are. There is a clatter again, nearer this time, and we all hold our breath. Both Haru and Hiro's faces are pale and I can see the muscles in Bou-san's shoulders bunch, as we all poise to meet Shizuko again. Then, there is a loud crash, followed by a lot of swearing. Ayako has turned to look at Lin, her eyebrows raised sceptically when a hand - very much human. grips the doorframe, and Natsume's voice enters the room. "Why aren't the lights on? Can't see where I'm going," he grumbles as he shoves a mop that has somehow caught on his clothes aside. Anzai scowls even as Ayako and I start laughing. Masako sniffs sanctimoniously, but it's clear we're all relieved it isn't another attack.

"Is something the matter?" Anzai asks coldly even as Natsume saunters grandly in, hands tucked into his pants.

"I thought I heard somebody showing off," he answers as he squeezes between me and Ayako to the space around the map.

"Not as much as someone I know," Anzai retorts rudely. "Anyway, aren't you supposed to be back at ATC's?"

"With this curse hanging around my neck – literally? You must be joking if you think I'll let you or any Ichibara buffoon take over while my back is turned!"

"But, Natsume," Hiro intervenes gently, "it was Lin-san advised us to stay away as a safety precaution."

"All the more we should help!" his cousin replies impatiently before turning coolly to Lin. "Well? There's no need to look so forbidding. We're here of our own volition, and not a moment too soon." If anything, his words only caused the frown between Lin's brows to darken further. Continuing as though he hasn't seen it or heard Hiro-kun's infuriated protest - "I only came because this is exactly what you would do" – Natsume clears his throat imperiously and jabs at a spot on the paper.

"I hate to ask this, but Anzai, have you made it to the rafter closet before?"

"What? This little place? Only so many times since I was six that I can't be bothered to count," Anzai answers casually. Natsume sucks in an indignant breath.

"If I hadn't shown it to you…"

Lin, who has so far been scrutinizing the intricate maze of corridors traced out in white on the blue paper frowns. "But there are no passageways to it," he says without looking up and therefore missing the scowl both Anzai and Natsume have directed at him.

"Well, for old times' sake, I suppose we could show you how to get there," Anzai and Natsume both announce and then glare at each other.

As expected, we discover nothing. We've knocked on all the walls, but there is nothing. "It's almost like she'd pulled him through the walls, which given the situation, is not unlikely," John says. I watch as they examine the room, but I know deep down that Naru hasn't pulled into any part of the building. If he were, there would have been some trace of where he had gone. We've all taken shifts to check the rooms, but even so, it's tiring business, made all the more depressing by our concern. I don't want to think about what would happen if Naru never comes back. Bou-san comes over. "Why don't you take a nap?" he asks kindly.

"I don't feel like sleeping," I say. Not if the same kinds of things are going to happen again.

"I know it's difficult to suddenly go sleep but you've done it before. And aren't you tired?" He squints at me and I flinch. "I'm not," I lie before cracking a yawn.

He grins widely. "You sure?"

"Bou-san…" I huff sulkily as I get up from where I have been resting on the wooden flooring. He ruffles my hair. "We'll get him back, Mai."

I nod. We have to. I look over at Lin. He's probably taking Naru's disappearance the worst. And it's my fault again. More than anything else, I want to march right back into that room and demand that Shizuko hand over Naru, but I've promised Lin that I wouldn't go back there unsupervised. Sighing to myself, I let myself out of the room and into the garden outside. The grass is soft, springy, the mild sunshine at just the right temperature. I want him back. Even if all he does is ignore me. A breeze tugs suddenly at my hair and skirt and I look up, aware that I was not, as I had thought at first, alone. Don't look – that's the first rule of thumb. I continue staring ahead, but I'm feeling for where that presence is and it's by the bridge.

I turn. It's there! That black shape that I had first seen on my first day here. Rushing forward, I run right into a black clad figure who catches me by the shoulders.

"Mai."

Oh damn. I went and fell asleep after all.

_"Hello Gene," I sigh. _

_"Hello Mai." He lets me go and I take a step back, rubbing my bare shoulders. I peer around at the stubby grass and the bridge. "Where are we? Or should I say when?" Gene smiles that small, familiar smile that is half shy and half wry. "I hear that you're missing something?" he says as we fall into step over to the bridge. "No?" I answer in confusion before it dawns on me what he means. "Oh. Naru." I shake my head. "I don't know what I can do."_

_"You can get him back."_

_"Gene… I'm scared. What if something happens to him?" _

_He lays a comforting hand on my arm. "This is Naru we're talking about. He isn't going to sit still waiting to be rescued either."_

_"Do you at least know where he is?"_

_"No. I wish I did," he says softly. "I sense his presence, but very dimly, like he is very far away, which given the circumstances, he probably is." We stop in front of the powder room again and Gene pulls open the door. "After you."_

Oh heck. I look down at the yellow kimono I am clad in and heave a sigh. Not again. Something smashes against the wall, porcelain tinkling on the floor as a watery stain spreads across the carpet. It takes me awhile to realise that it is I who has thrown the cup. There is a cut on my finger. "You _liar_!" I scream vehemently, striding forward to where a dark-eyed man is standing, fists clenched. _Here we go again_… How many days has it been since they made up? It can't be that many… Haruo grabs both of my wrists, struggling as I fight back, spitting and shouting. "You liar! You liar! You said you loved me!"

"I do! But I love her too! Shizu – please…"

"But I make better tea! And I've taken care of you all this while!"

"I didn't set out to love her. You know I've to marry her for the sake of the troupe!" He looks down. "I'm sorry. But the more I know her, I know I cannot let her down."

"Jerk."

Haruo blinks. "What?"

"You no good moron. How dare you! When I gave you my all…" Tears are streaming down now, and I can feel them plop onto my fingers which curl slowly round the first item within reach. "I should have known though. The amount of time you've been spending with her. She's changed you. Her family's changed you." Looking up, I flinch, startled when I spot her in the doorway.

"Haruo? What is going on?" Shizuko says.

A gentle tap on my shoulder makes me turn round. Gene. He brushes away a lingering tear as I sniff heavily. "Now that you know, please go help that idiot scientist."

* * *

"Mai!" Someone is shaking my shoulders and I curl up, shrinking away from them.

"Go away," I mutter sleepily. "Naru."

"It's _me_, you idiot," the voice continues in a much less urgent and much more irritated tone. I blink, yawning miserably as I wipe away tears.

"Oh. Masako." She prods me again, less gently now that I am awake. "Ouch. Stop that. I'm getting up."

She sits back primly, resting on her knees. "You choose the strangest places to fall asleep in," she scolds, but only half-heartedly as I scramble up the side of the grassy bank by the bridge.

"What did I miss?"

"Naru. Ayako and I saw him..."

"What?" I swing round so quickly I nearly fall, but I pick myself up in time. "Where? How?"

"If you will stop cutting me off, I'll be able to explain," she snaps.

"Come on Masako! _Where_?"

She sighs, relenting. "Upstairs, in the attic. He turned a corner and then disappeared. It was like a dream. Or something like that." She bites her lip. "The thing is..."

"What is it?" I press, gripping the edge of my skirt.

"Oh, Mai. You've to get him back."

I nod.

She moves closer. "You're the only one who can walk in dreams."

I nod again.

"And... you're the woman he loves."

My jaw drops.

Masako glares at me. "Though I had hardly expected you to, you could take it a bit more graciously." I quickly jam my lips back together, a blush rising to my face.

"...I don't understand. How's that going to help anything?" _He doesn't. _I don't want to say it. He never gave me a straightforward answer, and we'd argued, and so recently too.

"I'll try." It's the best I can offer as an answer now.


	7. Chapter 7: Remembrance

Theatre Wars

Chapter 7: In which there is a lot of rain and Mai remembers.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of _Ghost Hunt_.

Note: This chapter makes direct reference to the prequel.

* * *

The attic level again. It is all quiet as Masako and I creep forward.

"Why are we creeping?" I whisper and nearly run into her when she stops suddenly.

"Lin doesn't know," she answers after a pause.

"Why?"

"Because he'll try to stop us and I know you're the only one who can do something about this," she answers impatiently.

"Speaking about that…" this time it is me who stops. "Do you really believe that?" I ask hopefully. Even in the dim light, I can see Masako's glare. "Just beause he likes you more than me doesn't mean anything. Don't think I've given up on establishing a romantic relationship with Naru just because I happen to agree with you," she replies coldly. Peeking round the corner, she motions for me to follow her. "Now hurry up, we haven't got all day."

"Hai…" I allow myself a grin. This is more like the Masako I know.

Turning the corner, I gasp in wonder at the sight of the room.

"It's _beautiful_." The wood-panelled floor is flooded by pooled moonlight pouring in from latticed windows on both sides, the high ceiling darkening with height and silver dust motes drifting peacefully. Mai glances quickly at me and then shares a reluctant smile.

"Yes," she admits with the guilty air of someone who shouldn't be enjoying herself. I step into a moonbeam, and then peer outside. I can see the bridge from here, but nothing is moving outside either. Masako makes a sweep of the room, letting her torchlight scan the dimmer recesses of the space. There is another window set into the opposite end of the room and what looks like a narrow closet set into the wall by it. The finger which I trace over the lintel comes away coated with dust and I wrinkle my nose.

"Lovely," I mutter, wiping it on the hem of my shirt. "Is there where you last saw Naru?"

"Yes. He turned the corner which we did just now and simply vanished, hence the need for our own caution."

"And…you want me to sleep here?"

"Yes."

If you say so… I stretch out on the floor uncomfortably and the last thing I hear before I close my eyes is the soft patter of Masako's feet before she settles down to wait beside me. Even without looking, I know she probably has her back to the wall under the window.

"If Naru has been caught in her time, you will have to look for him there."

"Alright," I murmur, squeezing my eyes shut and willing myself to dreamland. Only it doesn't work. "I can't sleep," I say desperately after lying for what feels like eternity. Masako stares at me.

"It hasn't even been a minute."

"Really?"

"_Yes_, Mai."

"Okay," I answer, and lie down again, feeling oddly comforted. "Before I sleep, there is something I've to tell you."

Masako raises an eyebrow. "Much as I appreciate your grateful thanks, I hardly think the time appropriate."

I huff, sitting up grumpily. "_No_! I merely wanted to say that Naru wanted to check out the pipe system in the auditorium before he...".

Masako nods once in understanding. "Very well. I'll tell Takigawa. He knows we're up here."

I yawn suddenly and cover my mouth belatedly when Masako smirks.

"And one more thing. Haruo was two-timing Shizuko."

"_What_?"

"Yeah…" My eyes start dropping of their own accord. Finally. "I'll ask him who… if I see him."

_"Ask who what?"_

I spin round eagerly. "Naru?"

But it isn't Naru. Even if the person standing before me is wearing those familiar black jacket, shirt, trousers and shoes. Even if he has the same dark hair and blue eyes, there's no mistaking him for Naru. I've learnt after the first time and Gene and Naru are more alike than they consider themselves to be. I take half a step forward and the stop when recognition hits me. "Haruo?"

I really have to try and notice when I dream.

He smiles at me, a real open and warm one and it looks so strange on Naru's face that for a moment I am struck speechless. Then, his face falls. "I was hoping you would be someone else."

"Shizuko?" I hazard.

He looks surprised. "Well, yes."

"Why are you possessing my…boss?"

Haruo lifts up an arm in puzzled inspection. "Well. I need a way out of here," he says reasonably. The irrationality of his justification makes me want to hit this two-timing idiot.

"He isn't dead yet! And even if he were, you can't just do these kinds of things!"

Haruo eyes me doubtfully. "I'm afraid I don't know what applies to the world of the dead."

"The _same_ things!" I practically yell. Swallowing nervously, I grab his arm and I can feel Naru's muscles tense instinctively. "Please, tell me what Shizuko has done to him?" Haruo passes a hand over Naru's forehead shakily and then stares at me nervously. "What did you just do to me?"

"Do what?"

"Send that tingle down my – this fellow's spine. Don't you know you do that?"

"No…?" I quickly let go. We stare at each other awkwardly and then Haruo starts to laugh. It's _weird_. Naru, I realise with a pang, never laughed, not once since I've known him. He sees the look I give him and something like recognition crosses his face.

"In truth, I've no idea what Shizu has done. I am sorry you got involved. You seem nice."

"I don't understand. You're supposed to be dead. Were you summoned?"

"There was never a need," he says sadly. "My real body never left the building."

I gape.

"Wait. Do you mean she murdered you?"

No answer. Haruo clams up entirely, turning slightly away from me. But, even if he refuses to speak, I can see the pain in his eyes. They remind me of Naru's whenever someone mentions Gene. I put my hand on his, though with more care.

"Take me to her. I can handle it." I bite my lip when he doesn't react. "Please? That person whose body you're _borrowing_," I emphasise, "means a lot to me." Again, he doesn't say anything, but this time, I sense his hesitation.

"Shizu… can be vindictive."

"Believe me, I've seen worse."

He smiles at that. "You're very young." I glare at him and find myself irrevocably – softening. He returns the smile. "Your…boss doesn't smile much does he?"

"I don't understand...?"

He shrugs offhandedly. "Only, you can't seem to take your eyes off me when I do."

I've had ghosts trying to attack, possess or kill me, but _flirting_ has to be a first. I stomp away and he follows after me. "Where are you going? Actually, is there even anywhere you _can_ go?"

"Jerk," I growl, the word coming easily enough – I've called Naru that countless times, and this _jerk _is ten times worse.

"Naru has his faults, but he wasn't a cheat." Spinning round, I prod his chest angrily. "So. Where is she?"

* * *

"You won't this place on your own I'm afraid. The path to Shizu's lair - I, mean, room is only open to certain persons, namely me," Haruo explains tersely. I wonder why he seems nervous. "Oh, and I must warn you that Shizu won't go easy on you. If there is anything I can claim to know about her, it's that she's got gall." He paused, struck by a thought. "Kind of like you, actually."

I snort as we tramp along dark corridors and up cobwebby stairs. "I'm not a boyfriend murderer. And why do you stick with her anyway?"

"I'm waiting for her." His answer catches me by surprise. But before I can ask, we've arrived at a space that seems suspended in time. Haruo knocks once lightly on the door.

"Come in," a voice greets silkily, bringing with it an echo of sawdust, cobwebs and the sickly sweet smell of lilies. All things to do with death.

"Miss Taniyama, I presume?" the voice continues and a svelte figure in a yellow kimono appears from behind the gossamer curtains on the other side of the bed. I stare at her. Her lips were red and full, her loose black hair sleek and shiny.

"What have you done?"

She strokes my face. "You wouldn't deny me this chance would you? After all, we're both women in love." She grips my hand gently, her voice soft, entreating. When I remain silent, she sighs, then motions for Haruo to leave.

"I'm afraid I took the opportunity to probe your mind, which is easy enough once we've link."

"What?" I protest loudly. "You _read_ my mind without my permission?"

She frowns, her pupils dilating like inky pools. "I _let_ you into mine. It's only fair to return the favour."

What have I gotten myself into? Her grip on my hand tightens.

"Let me go," I say, trying to keep the wince from my voice. She pushes me back on the bed, her legs on either side of me. "Oh, I think you remember this," she whispers, her other arm raised, a screwdriver glinting. "You can't have him. None of you can."

* * *

I scream, and then am thrown back onto the wall. Naru stands up, shakily, blood pouring from his shoulder. He's yelling somebody's name. I hadn't noticed before the first time round; even with a stab wound to his shoulder, Naru's PK was incredibly focused in finding its target. The thin curtains at the window are hardly disturbed. _He'd meant to hit me_. Well. I had been possessed and trying to kill him. The scene whips forward, this time, I'm lying on the ground, tied up, about to have unimaginable things done to me by a salivating zombie-creature when Naru busts in, uses his psychic abilities again… I reach out to desperately try to stop him but then everything starts to fade and I'm sitting on a comfortable patch of grass, white clouds drifting serenely across a blue, blue sky. It's been a while since I can remember feeling at so much peace. A shadow falls over me and looking up, I see Naru wearing a familiar frown hovering above me.

"Why are you here?"

Not exactly the greeting I am looking for. I pout. "You can greet people properly you know," I point out, but only half-heartedly as he settles down on the grass beside me, tucking one foot comfortably while resting his head on the bark only inches away from me. "…or never mind," I ramble on, "seeing as you'll do things your way anyway."

"If you know that, why do you still complain?" he asks after a beat.

"Can't blame a girl for trying."

He shuts his eyes, head tilted up to catch the light breeze that's tugging at his collar and hair. I take a deep breath. Swallow. Lick my lips even though they're not dry. There won't be another chance and what else can this be but another chance? We're back at the amusement park from six months ago. In that past, I remember sitting right here too, though things are going a little different. I can change it here. It's a dream after all. Naru can clam up after this if he wants to, but I'm not going out without doing this first.

Leaning over, I lightly peck him on his right cheek nervously. Naru whips round in a flash, blue eyes widened ever so slightly. I flush, embarrassed. "I'm not going out without first doing that. If – if I'm dead, I want you to know, well, no hard feelings between the two of us. That is…"

I am babbling.

Naru gets up and without a backwards glance, strides away towards the amusement park, shoulders stiff. Gee. Well, I suppose it could have been worse; I hadn't put it past Naru to insult my kissing. The sky darkens and the first fat drops of rain splash onto my bare arms. No point moving. If I'm already dead, it's unlikely I'll die of pneumonia. I sneeze, and shiver. It's _cold_. Do the dead feel? Surely they must… Gene can. But then, Gene's a special case. I sneeze again. Great. Now's there's snot too. And so, I am too busy trying to wipe it away discreetly when Naru returns.

"What makes you think you are dead?" He stares expressionlessly at me and I return the look blandly, struggling to hold in my dribbling nose. I sniff hard.

"Aren't I? I mean…" I answer slowly and then clap a horrified hand to my mouth. "I'm _not_?"

I jump up, narrowly missing Naru's chin and back away from him. He is watching my every move with a hawk-like gaze. "I was _stabbed_," I yell.

"So was I, six months before," Naru replies with infuriating tranquillity. I can just _hit_ him.

"But…" I sputter.

He folds his arms and steps past me to lean on the tree. "You are shivering. Any idiot can tell you're still alive."

"If you haven't noticed, this is a dream," I shout back above the sound of the lashing rain. I'm practically soaked through, but Naru is perfectly dry, the rain stopping millimetres from him and seem to slide off. He catches me looking. "I'm not deceased either. Only…" he tugs meaningfully at his collar. The red scarring has deepened, and it looks fresher. "…I'm more worthwhile protecting, in a manner of speaking."

He gestures with a slight tilt of his head and a sardonic smile. "After all, this place is a prison meant for me."

Something in his voice makes me inspect him more carefully. Naru seldom allows himself to show any weakness and even now, with his stubborn pride, it doesn't show up except under close scrutiny. He looks exhausted, his skin pale and eyes finely bloodshot. "Done admiring? I suggest you try to wake up." he says, still managing to be sarcastic even though he must be drained.

"I don't think I can. I've been locked up here with you."

Even as I say that, I know it to be true.

He smirks, and I glare at him. "I only meant the second part," I retort coldly and turn away with a huff when a muffled thump makes me turn back again. Naru has slid to the ground, and he is shivering badly.

"Naru?" I rush forward, but he stiffens, lifting his head to glare at me when I reach out to steady him.

"Oh stop being such a stubborn idiot," I snap, grabbing his arm and pulling him up. Naru stumbles, and then, with an exasperated sigh, leans reluctantly on me. I square my own shoulders, my knees wobbling only slightly. I've been prepared for him to be heavy but… this is…

"This is ridiculous," Naru says, giving voice to the unspoken thought in my head. "Where do you think we can go?" His eyes travel downwards doubtfully. "Or how _far_ for that matter."  
"Well, I need the shelter even if you don't," I growl.

* * *

The building is dark, the rain comes in through a window that hasn't been fitted with a window and typically, no lights have been installed yet. I scowl around. Why, if dreams were unreal, were they also so realistic? "I remember this place. Yasuhara jumped out at me from the room over. _Ooh_.

"There're souvenirs here!" I say as I pick up a clown doll. Naru, characteristically, ignores me, but when I look back a second time, his eyes are closed, his chest rising rhythmically in peaceful sleep. I hide a smile as I flit over to the other shelves, collecting several other stuffed toys which I then arrange around us. I'm in the middle of this when Naru's eyes flick open, a red-haired plush doll squeaking when he puts his hand on it accidentally. He looks wordlessly at me. I grin. "Cute huh. I'll hand it to Shizu. She's good at this."

Naru's eyes darken at the mention of her name and he treats the Hello Kitty doll that's digging into his elbow to a death glare.

"I see that you've managed to keep yourself entertained."

Picking up an aeroplane emblazoned with the amusement park logo, I make sweeping motions with it over Naru, who is forced to duck his head to avoid me. "Oops. Bomber pilot coming through! Beware the grumpy bear which just woke up! Whee!" Giggling to myself, I put the toy down and smile at him innocently. He glares at me and then looks away. Still smiling, I push some of the stuffed toys closer to him. "Don't be scared of the grumpy bear," I say, patting the Hello Kitty doll and a Kero plushie. "He's mean, egotistical, proud," I continue, "but he's really alright. All the _onee-chans_ like him 'cause he's so pretty, including the ghoulish ones."

"Lamia. Not ghoul," Naru corrects automatically even though he doesn't look mollified in the least. "Shizu is a lamia."

Sensing a mini-lecture in the wings, I wait for him to continue.

"A vampiric species of monster. She's managed to sustain herself this long feeding on Haruo's spiritual energy and the sense of fear and envy she cultivated in this place."

"Until you came along," I finish for him.

"Yes. While the lamia not particular about her energy source, she tends to draw on those of the opposite sex."

"So…" I say slowly, thoughtfully digesting the implication of his explanation, "they seduce their victims?"

Naru, uncharacteristically, reddens. I cough, blushing too when he remains silent. "Erm. Sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up." We lapse into awkwardness and I look hastily away at the puddle forming under the window.

It hadn't been raining that day when we sat under the tree.

"Who do you think she was when she was alive?" I ask nervously when the awkward moment seems to stretch.

"Very likely a low-ranking cast member that has not been in the limelight much." Naru answers. The relief is unmistakable in his voice. "I'll need a member list from Aoi Theatre Company to confirm that though."

"_Aoi_? But they're the ones being attacked, mostly."

"Envy, Mai, of Shizuko," he explains with exaggerated patience. "It's both Shizu's source of strength and her weakness."

"And all along, I was thinking it was Shizuko's spirit that was haunting this place."

"I should have thought about that," Naru admits grimly. He looks out of the window as well. "The first thing is to lure her out."

I wait. Naru doesn't waste unnecessary words and sure enough, he leaves off gazing absently to seize me up, calculating. I match his own probing gaze with a suspicious frown. "And how exactly?"

Naru's eyes shift furtively but the smirk remains before he meets my eyes again. "I suppose we'll have to make her jealous."

If it only sounds as simple as it does. This time, it's my turn to look away.

"N-No." I walk away, wrapping my arms about me. "I don't even know what you feel about me... other than that you really, really like the tea I make."

"I don't dislike you, if that's what you are asking," Naru replies quietly from where he is seated. "I don't talk about it because it's obvious."

"What is?" I snap coldly. "That you like me?"

He sighs and then gets up, using the wall as a support. We stand facing each other across the window. Lightning flashes, illuminating Naru's white, tired face.

"I remember telling you that I wasn't easy to like," he continues after a beat. "It was a hint."

I nod tightly. "I remember. I don't recall giving up on you either."

"Exactly," he murmurs as he leans downwards, angling his lips to mine. "You should finish what you started."


	8. Chapter 8: Water

Theatre Wars

Chapter 8: Which is full of water.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of _Ghost Hunt_.

One chapter from the last!

* * *

I can feel my cheeks flame as Naru lightly cradles the nape of my neck, his fingers curling into my hair as we kiss, noses bumping clumsily against each other. "Oww," I say, but the rest of my protest is lost when Naru seizes the opportunity to deepen the kiss, and his arm on me tightens possessively. My own hand moves upward on their own accord, brushing the small hairs on the nape of his neck and then down to where the scar rests, red and raw. Naru jolts and frowns at me, breaking the kiss.

"Don't," I murmur against his cheek. "I-Just let me pretend that I can help."

"Idiot," Naru replies. "You've helped enough already."

I smile at that. "Are you sure you're really Naru? After all, there was this other fellow who looked a lot like you who happens to be the most narcissistic…"

"Shut up Mai, you're ruining the moment," he says, before tracing more kisses down my jaw and neck. Time seems to slow only to pick up when we finally pull away, gasping for breath. I run my tongue over my tender lips, having the satisfaction of having Naru's eyes trained on me when I do so. "So…" I say awkwardly. Naru's gaze flickers away, cool now that we're standing apart again.

"I suppose we wait," he answers after awhile, still not looking at me. I touch his hand tentatively and he jerks away, though not before slipping his fingers around mine for second first. I huff softly.

"You're one to complain," he says suddenly.

"What do you mean?"

"Did you know that every time you come near me, my sense of concentration dwindles to zero while my awareness of your presence takes up my entire attention?"

I flush, pleased. "No. I thought you were ignoring me all this while."

"I was. But only because you distract me the way no other person except Gene has been able to."

Ah. I grin up at him then, pacified. "I'll take that as a compliment."

We both lean against the rough wood, side by side, and this time Naru doesn't flinch, or move away when I lean against his arm.

"You do realise that we've technically not kissed?" Naru says.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, kissing is a physical act and neither of us is here, per se. My body is possessed and yours…is probably wherever you left it falling asleep."

I snort. "We've kissed as spirits, Naru. Don't think you can make your excuses once we're out of here."

Naru smiles faintly. "No, I expect you to remind me everyday then," he says, regarding the door expectantly as his hands reach unconsciously to his neck. But before he completes the action, he lets fall his arm and stands up. I can sense it too, the unpleasant aura which has seeped into Naru's memory.

"She's coming. When you see her appear, run through the door."

"What about you?"

"I'm going nowhere. I can't escape my own head," he explains. My face falls.

"So… I'm the only one who's escaping then?"

A faint, blurred figure materialises beyond the door. Although Shizu seems to struggle for awhile, she appears not to be troubled; instead, she seems to find Naru's resistance amusing.

"You've kept me out of this place so far. What gave?"

Naru silently shoves me in her direction. "Hurry up and _go_." For a moment, Shizu and I are face to face but the momentum of Naru's push sends me tumbling into and then _through_ her barely materialised body and outside into dark empty space. The place where the door is slams shut and disappears on me.

"Stupid Naru!" I yell at the space where it had been and then groan in frustration. Now what?

* * *

I watch as she falls out of the door. Even in mid-stumble, I can see her eyes blaze with fury and her mouth open to make an inflammatory accusation. I watch her go diffidently. She'll live – and that, for me, is enough given the circumstances. Now, it is only me and Shizu. Her presence irks me. Even though we're standing on opposite ends of the room, I can feel her aura surrounding me.

"I'm told, Shibuya-san, that a caged animal is at his most dangerous."

Shizu steps fully into the room, wearing a smirk. "How noble of you to let your lover escape first." Her lips curl slightly in a sneer at the word "lover" and I can see hysteria behind the anger in her eyes. "Did you know," she continues when I do not speak, "how much trouble I went into looking for Taniyama-san when she vanished from right under me? And I had to send Haruo away."

"I really wanted to kill her. And after that, I will take you for mine." Her sneer curls upwards. "You'll like that won't you? After all, we're lovers both," she adds in a whisper as she wraps her arms around my neck. "Don't think you can't die here Shibuya. You don't need to be in possession of a body to have your soul drained."

Our gaze meets for a moment and I let her see my indifference to her. Up close, her pupils appear unusually bright, glittering and she lets me go. Leaping back with inhuman grace, she sweeps a hand at me and I feel the wind of it tear my clothes and leave lacerations on my skin.

"Say something!" she screams at me. "I said I will _kill_ her!"

My turn to smirk. I spread my hands out in a gesture of invitation. "A female acquaintance once told me here that I'm extremely stubborn. I invite you to try." With enough time, I hope, for the others to solve this case.

* * *

What brings me back finally to my body is snoring. Masako's snoring, to be exact. I sit up, feeling aches all over and shake her. "Wake up," I say. Even half-asleep, Masako manages to yawn delicately and then flutter her eyelids prettily. I scowl. "You were snoring." That statement causes her to wake up all the way. "I do not," she retorts and then standing up rather quickly, she grabs my hand. "Come on. You'll be needed to explain _this_."

Back downstairs, Bou-san jumps up from where he has been nervously tapping his feet on a bench in the lobby. "What happened? You better have a good excuse for being out for ten hours or Lin is going to roast us three."

"Lin knows?" I answer guiltily.

"You were asleep for the entire night, Mai," Masako points out. "It'll have been a little difficult to account for your missing presence."

"And you totally missed out on this," Bou-san adds grimly as he opens the door. "After you, sleeping beauty."

My complaint falls short when I see what is that has them all so nervous. Haruo is standing on the stage arguing with Natsume, while the other actors and SPR watch on. "Hey," I shout, giving them a wave. Turning, Haruo smiles distractedly at me. Masako's sharp intake of breath can be heard.

"Alright, mister, quit smiling with our boss's face," Bou-san growls. Haruo only chuckles and Lin's glower deepens.

"Mai. He said you'll give me a good reason why we shouldn't exorcise him when you woke up."

"I…didn't think you'll ever wake again, actually," Haruo admits. "What happened to Shizu?"

"Don't sully her name like that. You mean Shizuko," Natsume cuts in with a growl.

"No, I don't," Haruo says, looking baffled. "And stop correcting me. Your posture is terrible and you obviously can't act. I can't let you bring down the name of my fiancée's company."

Ayako nudges me. "If you can get him outside, I can purify him." Lin is looking at us impatiently. "Well?"

"Shizu killed him," I say as soon as Hiro and Anzai are in earshot as well.

"His fiancée killed him?" Ayako repeats.

"No, Shizu is his lover before he got engaged to Shizuko. He says he loves both of them." She snorts. "Men."

I tug at her arm. "Shizu killed him and hid his body somewhere in this building. I-I think she killed Shizuko too."

Natsume isn't going to like this," Hiro said. "No, and I'll have the pleasure of telling him that," Anzai says with disproportionate cheer.

"I don't quite care," Lin hisses. "The first priority is getting him out of Naru's body – Mai?"

I sigh and then raise my voice to speak to Haruo. "Do you mind? I think I know where she's – I mean Shizuko is waiting for you." He looks so hopeful that I feel slightly bad for lying to him. "Really?"

"Hai." His smile widens brilliantly. But I've the memory of Naru's kiss and I nod resolutely. "If you'll follow me?"

He raises a hand. "One moment. I'll come with you, but I'll like some tea first." Lin looks as though he might pop a vein. Haruo's grin widens cheekily. "And you'll make and serve it."

* * *

I look at the canopied bed in the dark room, trying to keep cool. Here, again. Shizu is leaning against the doorframe, blocking the way out. The room is rapidly filling with water, a moss grown camp site bench appearing in a corner. Our memories are melding together. If someone doesn't exorcise her soon, I won't last much longer. Shizu clearly knows this and she surveys the room with a gratified leer. "And to think we'll be back here. Don't you have any other memory to hide in?" I concentrate, summoning quickly the maze-like tunnels from my previous case and put myself as far as I remember away from her. This is only a small respite. My neck is aching and even though I've only ran a short flight of steps up – the very ones of the amusement park tower, I'm already wheezing. When I touch the scar, my fingers come away stained with beads of blood. I am definitely on the losing end of this battle.

"You can run into the past Shibuya," Shizu's voice echoes triumphantly from somewhere above me and I swear under my breath. I rarely panic, but this scenario is somewhat different from anything I have ever experience. Her footsteps come closer and I hastily take the stairs back down, two steps at a time. "You can run alright, but I'll bring you back up to date any time…"

"How's the tea?" I ask impatiently. Haruo sips it and then looks up at me. "Very good. But it could have steeped longer."

Biting back an angry retort, I take the cup from him sullenly. "Sorry, Mai-chan. I happen to be very particular about my tea and until I'm satisfied, I won't leave this room." The nerve of this man – ghost…! I stomp over to the sink and pour out the remnants of the cup. "You know, Naru likes my tea fine. You're just picky."

"Am I? Or do you usually make tea with such impatience?"

I flush. "That's not true! I –

Haruo winks. "Exactly. So how about you pretend I'm your lover, I mean boss and you make me a proper one."

I glare at him. "Flirt," I mutter loudly as I storm out to the kitchen. Outside, I nearly run into Ayako. I rub my snubbed nose. "Ouch. Why are you three here?" I growl. At least John has the decency to look slightly guilty.

"Spying," Ayako, not one to mince words, says. Bou-san peers at me in concern. "Are you sure he hasn't hurt you?"

"_Bou-san_!"

At the kitchen, I bang down the tea things on the table and glare at them when they all troop in after me. "Do you _mind_?" I make flapping motions with my hand. "_Shoo_. At this rate, we're never going to exorcise him…" After they've all shuffled away, I go back to where Haruo is waiting. He takes a sip and then closes his eyes. "That, my dear, is almost exactly how Shizu made my English tea."

"I see."

I am in no mood to entertain his provocative remarks.

"It's somewhat like Shizuko's tea too. It's the tea of love."

I snort, making my disapproval shown. He cracks a grin but I remain stony this time. He laces his fingers together, smiling sadly. "Ah, very well then, Miss Taniyama. Where to next?"

There is a bright misty quality to the light when I finally persuade him outside. The wind ruffles Naru's hair as Haruo draws in a deep breath and then relaxes. "I haven't seen the outside of this building in… a long while," he says wistfully. I only nod, not trusting myself to say anything as I lead him towards the trees. Haruo looks at me strangely but doesn't say anything. We walk in silence, the only sound being grass crunching underfoot. We appear to be all alone, but I know the others are watching.

"You know, Miss Taniyama, you don't have to feel bad," Haruo says.

I freeze and he gives me a slight nudge.

"I overheard that red-haired miko just now. You don't know where Shizuko is, do you?" I gape at him. Haruo shrugs carelessly. "It's alright. I won't make any trouble for you. I've lingered here for too long."

"But…"

"No buts, Mai-chan. I've been thinking about what you said, and well, you're right. It's time I stop being selfish and move on." He looks up briefly. "Do you hear bells?"

"No," I say. He glances down at me, understanding and peace written on his face. "That's my curtain call," he says and leaning over, kisses me lightly on the forehead. "I hope you find a way to release poor Shizu too. It was partly my fault you know." I nod. "I'm sorry," I say gently. Then, suddenly, John yells. We both turn. There, standing by the bridge is an indistinct shape. I blink. I guess I haven't been imagining things after all. As it floats over, Haruo beams. "Hello Shizuko-chan." He lifts a hand, pats me once on the head. "Thank you," he mouths. A thin spire of smoke lifts up from Naru to join the shadow beside him. Then, without warning, Naru crumples to the ground, eyes vacant.

The others come running. "Did it work?" Bou-san asks and earns himself a whack. "Of course it did," Ayako snaps. "I felt two presences leave."

Lin looks up from examining Naru. "If so, then how do you explain why he seems to be in a catatonic state?"

Ayako kneels down, a crease appearing in her forehead. "I know what I felt." She turns white suddenly. "I didn't purify _Naru_, did I?"

"Of course not," Lin answers shortly, the same time Bou-san snorts. "Mai?" Suddenly, everyone is looking at me, including the actors, who have all come out to watch the purification.

"Shizu hasn't been purified yet," I say quietly. "And the last I saw of her was entering Naru's mind."

"Then…" John says, breaking in cautiously, "I guess this means we'll have to find her body."

* * *

We both look up at the same time, sensing something passing. I breathe again. She'd done it. Nijima Haruo has moved on.

"No!" Shizu screams and rushing at me, seizes me by my shirt collar. "What have you done?"

I smirk and she slaps me. "You will pay," she growls, a wind picking up around her, her hair whipping up. "He was mine!" she roars.

"Sometimes, we have to let go," I say, remembering a certain busybody brother. She jerk away, wounded. "Never," she intones and gestures dramatically. The wind cuts into me, but it's exhausting keeping her at bay and bit by bit, I am pushed back into the room she's created with her vindictiveness. I back silently up until I reach the bed frame, where there is no more space for me to go to.

"So. It comes back to this." Shizuko follows me into the room, her shape changing along the way, shrinking slightly shorter, her hair lightening to familiar chin-length brown strands. Just how provocative can this spirit get? If I weren't trapped here, I would have erased her existence already. Gene and Mai would disapprove but I've made my stand on this clear. A spirit who consciously targets and claims the living for their own is no longer to be pitied.

"What do you think this accomplishes?" I ask.

"More than you can imagine. There wasn't much of Haruo left. If I'd drained anymore, we'll both be gone."

By now, the water gushing into the room is a loud roar, the room taking on a circular shape. There is something familiar about this place.

"That's right. This is my home. Of course it's familiar. We'll live here. Together."

* * *

"Are you sure there isn't anywhere you haven't thought of?" I ask Anzai and Natsume desperately. They both shook their heads. "We're absolutely certain," Anzai answers. "I honestly do not think there is anywhere we haven't already tried."

"You missed out on Haruo's resting place," Masako points out.

"I didn't," Anzai replies, visibly grieved. "It was in a locked and disused closet. We've been to the attic thrice. There isn't another body there."

"Damnit!" Bou-san yells suddenly. "Something's wrong with Naru!"

We all rush over, Ayako reaching first. Naru's body is spasming, but he doesn't wake up. "What's wrong with him?" Hiro asks and Bou-san shakes his head. Suddenly, Naru starts gasping, as if unable to breathe and when Ayako tugs down his collar, we all can see that the scar is bleeding. Natsume and Hiro share a look of despair. If Naru dies, they'd likely be next.

"Is he…being suffocated?"

"No, that's not it," John says grimly when Naru seems to choke on empty air. "She's drowning him."

"But there's no water," Natsume protests. We all ignore him.

"Think Mai!" Lin barks. "Is there anything – anything at all which Haruo said might help?"

I shake my head. The one person who is best at putting all the evidence and clues together was lying on the ground, unconscious and dying.

"We've tried everywhere," Ayako says dispassionately. "Face it guys, Naru's not going to make it."


	9. Epilogue

Theatre Wars

Epilogue.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of _Ghost Hunt_.

_Yep. Last chapter. To Ariana Taniyama, lil whit, krissy2lip and Ayjah, many thanks for reviewing the previous chapter! They are much appreciated, as always. Also, as thanks, I'm accepting fic requests at the moment, if anyone is still interested in GH fics. I'm willing to try out other things too - just run them through me first._

_Thank you, all, for reading! =)_

* * *

_I stare at the hearse with mounting irritation. Mai is walking behind the vehicle, cheeks wet with tears. Martin's face is grimmer than I've ever seen it, and Luella is clutching his elbow with both her gloved hands. Slow music plays in the background as the coffin is lowered into the narrow pit before the tombstone. The lid slides off partially when Takigawa stumbles, and a hand flops out, the edge of a black sleeve showing. Lin stuffs it back in awkwardly. No one looks at him while he's at it._

_"Lovely weather," Gene comments beside me. A box of popcorn is stowed in the crook of his elbow and I frown in disapproval at it._

_"You could be a little more respectful. It's my funeral after all."_

_"Hey, I'm already dressed in mourning. You can't get any more respectful than that," he answers. True. We're both dressed in the same black clothes. Our eyes are the same. We even sound the same and we both watch as Mai tosses the first mound of soil into the grave._

_I turn away, unable to bear looking. Gene's cheerful demeanour vanishes and he puts aside the popcorn._

_"I don't need your sympathy," I say, checking in advance the expected flood of consolation and walk away from the funeral party. Gene of course follows. I walk on, and when I reach a small hill, I only hesitate a second before scaling it. From the top, I can look down on the tops of the trees. They're oaks, and old ones. Gene joins me on top, and I observe that he's brought along a striped collapsible chair which he plants himself comfortably in. The others are huddled around the filled grave, their voices pitched to a low, polite murmur. I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "Well?"_

_"Well what?" Gene asks with a lingering smile._

_"How did I die?"_

_"Hmm." He cocks his head. "I don't know."_

_"Some farewell I'm getting." I remain standing as I glance casually at him. "I never liked funerals."_

_"It's for their sakes as much and I'm still grateful you did right by me for mine."_

_"You may laugh," I retort ominously, "but I hardly think your hanging around any benefit to me."_

_Gene doesn't laugh. He only smiles gently and I scowl in return. "You've gone soft," I mutter. And even better at reading me._

_"Death changes some things." _

_He sighs suddenly. "Oh Noll. I wish I can say that you're welcome to join me, but it's not the end yet."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_Gene smiles wryly. "You idiot. Hurry up and wake up already. Shizu's gone." My surprise must have registered outwardly because Gene pats me on my shoulder, not as much in sympathy, I observe, as in consolation. "You always were bad in manipulating dreams. Now, off you go."_

_"Wait," I say, drawing back from him. He truly grins then, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Go and kiss her properly this time."_

* * *

When Naru's eyes open, I can't help but yell and launch at him in a hug. Naru winces and then shoves me aside, glaring, coughing and choking simultaneously. "You couldn't have gotten me out earlier?" he grumbles. The next moment, I am completely shoved aside, first by Masako and then Lin, who both vie for Naru's attention. I huff noisily and then step back prudently when a minor stampede led by Bou-san ensues.

"Stop."

Despite having only just woken up, Naru is back to his crabbily commanding self. Everyone falls back at the arctic tone of his voice, except for Lin, who seizes the opportunity for a lecture.

"Try a stunt like that again and I'll personally drag your dead body back to London," he scolds. Naru of course, ignores him, and with an imperious wave of his hand, tries to stand up – only to sit back down heavily on the grass with a rather surprised look on his face. Lin smirks.

"Just how long do you think you've been out? Any fool would know better than to try that."

Naru of course, shoots his guardian a poisonous stare which has zero effect as all Lin does is nod in a satisfied manner. "If you can look at me in that insolent manner, I expect you're lucid enough to listen for once."

"What happened to Shizu?" Naru asks abruptly and I can't help but giggle. Lin stares ominously at him.

"I've a right to know," he adds on seeing Lin's expression.

"Her name was Oda Shizu. A _deshi_ who trained directly under my grand-aunt," Natsume comments.

"You. Why are you here?" Naru demands, clearly displeased to see the actor.

Natsume rolls his eyes. "Why is it that you never seem to like my presence? I'm not interested in your girl."

I blush, but what's interesting is that a faint colour creeps into Naru's face too. "I know that. What your presence indicates is that there must have been a breach of operations protocol. Clients should never enter the front line unless in pressing circumstances," he says, accentuating his lecture with an accusatory frown at Bou-san, who throws his hands into the air.

"Why is it I'm always the one who gets the blame? Ayako is perfectly capable of making -

_Whack_.

"Right," he muttered. "My fault."

"His expertise, and Anzai-san's as well were needed to navigate the building," Lin explains.

"Never mind all that," Naru replies tersely. "Who discovered Shizu's body?"

Everyone looks at me, including Naru, who notices where the others are all looking at.

"Umm. You remembered what you said about the plumbing in the powder room? I – I recalled that you wanted it checked out. They were – they were..." I hesitate. Masako coughs. "Shizu must have fallen into the well on the way back from drowning Shizuko. In the fuss when everyone was looking for Shizuko, they must not have noticed that someone else was missing."

"According to the files, the Ginsui went into a period of mourning and closed for renovations. I don't think anyone discovered that anyone other than Shizuko had died on the premises. Her death, in a manner of speaking, eclipsed any other incident."

"I don't think she meant to lock up Haruo but when she died, no one bothered looking for him since everyone assumed he'd ran away," I finish quietly. Masako puts a hand on my shoulder. "It was an accident. Mostly."

* * *

_Three days later_.

We're driving up the hillside to the theatre again. The car swerves round the curve and I squeak, clutching at the hand rest for dear life. Naru glances at me, and I see that he's about to make a sarcastic comment.

"Damnit Naru! Watch where you're driving!" I shriek as we miss a tree by bare inches. "I wasn't going to hit it," he insists, and takes the next bend on two wheels. I groan. "No wonder Lin never lets you drive," I mutter as soon as I'd caught my breath.

"I have excellent spatial awareness and motor reflexes."

"So?" I huff, and turn away from him to look out the window. "You're a manic driver." It's on the tip of my tongue to say that for someone who has lost a brother in a road accident, Naru shows remarkable nonchalance in his driving attitude.

"Relax Mai. I'm not going to hit anybody," he says. I eye him guiltily.

"I didn't say you would."

"Try telling Lin that," he says, before screeching to a sideways halt before the stone steps of the porch right in front of a stunned Haru and Hiro. "I have no idea why he won't let me drive."

"I do," I wheeze as I unbuckle the seatbelt. Too bad Lin twisted his ankle helping Naru up the stairs to the office yesterday. "Give me five minutes. I don't think my legs will allow me to get out yet."

It's only been three days since we left the theatre but already there is such a great difference. The very air seems to feel lighter, cleaner. With its ghosts exorcised, it's like a heavy shadow has been lifted off the building.

"Hello Mai," Haru greets with her usual cheerfulness and I smile back. "How're rehearsals?"

"Good. Everything's calmed down already. But the really exciting thing is Anzai proposing to Yukiko the moment she came back for practice."

Now _that_ was a surprise. "And she said yes didn't she?" I ask eagerly. Naru coughs. "If you don't mind? I would like to see both Nijima and Umezou-san, preferably within the hour."

"Oh, right, of course," Hiro says, flushing slightly. "This way, Shibuya-san."

"It's a wonder how many people our age address you like you're fifty," I snigger. Naru spares me a withering glance and then follows them into the lobby.

"Ah, Shibuya-san," Umezou greets in his deep bass voice and I bite back a guffaw. Naru turns slightly to glare at me.

"I've completed the report, as promised," Naru says, sliding across a manila file.

"Good, very good. I'm glad to put to rest that particular piece of history," he says, resting a heavy hand on the file. "There is only _one_ more thing."

Naru is displeased. "If I recall correctly, you told me that it was sufficient to exorcise the spirits. No further chain of inquiry was needed, as you and Nijima-san specifically informed me."

"Yes, yes," Umezou said hastily. "I quite remember, Shibuya-san. But you see, we still have a problem with plates habitually appearing in front of the stage."

"I suppose I can have a look," Naru answers coldly. I can see that he already thinks this is a waste of his time, but we're already here.

Naturally, the first thing Naru says on giving the nine plates lined up in a neat row on the roof a cursory examination is that it is the work of a prank.

"You don't know that for sure," Anzai says, with Yukiko in tow. She looks her same dreamy self but when Anzai smiles reassuringly at her, she blushes faintly. I grin. Naru allows them their moment and then speaks again.

"As a matter of fact, I do," he retorts with a smirk. "I have seen the culprits with my own eyes."

"You have? When?" I ask disbelievingly.

"The first night, I was on my way back to my room when I heard footsteps outside the theatre. I wanted to follow them, but the door to the theatre was locked when I tried it."

"But…how?"

"Unlike Mai, who would no doubt have jumped to the conclusion that some ghostly apparition had phased through the wall -,"

"Hey!" I growl. Naru showed no sign that he heard my protest when he paused to drink his tea.

"I instead searched for possible alternative means of entry. The top of the wall was lined with a series of small windows, of which the nearest were unlatched.

"But those windows are too small for an adult to go through," Hiro says.

"True. But then I didn't say the culprits were adults did I? "

Naru smirks again. "I went round to the back of the theatre, where the emergency exit was. I had observed earlier in the day that although it is a panic-bar door, there was a narrow gap under the door through which I could simply lever the door open from inside out."

Umezou winces. "That is quite a severe breach of security."

"Indeed," Naru says conversationally. "You should consider informing the managers so they may sue the contractor."

He tapped a finger casually. "I was out of luck however, when I stood a second too long under the stairs that led to the powder room and someone tipped a bucket of flour on me. I heard giggling, but as I was in no position to complete my investigation, I went instead to have a shower."

"At four a.m.," I finished for him with an innocent smile. Naru meets my eyes coolly. "Of course. I suspected it might have been you, since you had a distinctly guilty look about you, but you could never have fitted into the window."

"Huh," I mutter as he leans forward, lacing his fingers. "Umezou-san, are there any children attached to either companies?"

Umezou-san frowns, rubbing his chin. "My twin daughters. But they've been living with their mother!"

"Are they? When was the last time you spoke to Mrs Umezou? I expect it must be some time given your troubles with the theatre."

Umezou's jaw clenches and he flushes.

"Umm. Actually, mother hired an ex _kabuki_ student to babysit them as she had to take over the dance class of one of her teachers who fell ill," Hiro says. "Sorry. I thought she might have told you as well."

As Umezou's face turns beetroot, Hiro runs a hand embarrassedly through his hair. "She said he took them on an extended field trip to a theatre he was rehearsing at. Claimed it was haunted by Okiku or something like…. Oh," Hiro falters, looking unhappy.

Naru, by then, wasn't listening. "Two of them. That would explain how they scaled the wall to the window," he says ruminatively and then abruptly rises, his chair scraping into the carpet. "Well, if that is all, I would like to take my leave."

Umezou stands as well. "Wait! You haven't explained anything!"

"Haven't I? I thought it was obvious," Naru answers blandly. "Ask Anzai Hikaru what he was doing with the food hamper in the theatre the day I disappeared."

As the young man grinned sheepishly, Naru shrugs on his coat and leaves. I get up hurriedly. "Please excuse us!" I say, bowing hastily. Struck speechless, Umezou bows back dumbly and Anzai winks. "Off you go then!" he says. "Give our best to your boss!"

Back outside, I laugh out loud and stretch my hands out wide. Naru raises an eyebrow. "You seem happy."

"Yeah…" I grin slyly and slip my hand into his. "Did you see Haru and Hiro? They were holding each other's hands throughout the meeting."

He huffs mildly. "_Yes_. How could I fail to miss that the two future heads of the rival companies are a couple?"

"Future _heads_? But Hiro…"

"You never do look do you?" Naru answers drily. He reaches into his file and pulls out a glossy _chirashi_. It's of the performance and my eyes nearly pop out of my head when I see that clearly printed in the cast list is _Umezou Hiro_.

"Whenever you're done staring," Naru says and I look up quickly, caught by something in his voice.

"I'm done," I say, stuffing the poster into my coat pocket. He cups my face and tips my chin up. "Our turn," he breathes before kissing me. Then, out of the corner of my eyes, I see a cluster of shapes by the stream. I step back, startled, but Naru follows, wrapping his arms around me.

"Ignore them."

"I - _what?_" Did Naru just tell me to ignore the spirits standing by the shore?

He smiles briefly. "Case's closed, Mai. Now that it's officially over, the sooner I can get some tea, the better."

"You just had some."

His eyes meet mine directly. "It wasn't made by you."

"Oh," I answer, pleased as he draws me back to the car. On reaching it, Naru makes to open its door, but I put my hand over his. Much as he may want to return to his office, I am in no hurry to sit in that death-trap. He draws his hand slowly away from the handle. "In return," I say, still smiling broadly, "can I go home earlier today?"

"Absolutely not."

I pout. "That's unfair. You're brainier, better looking and more talented. Give me a break," I say, prodding his back when he gets into the driver's seat. "Oi, Naru!"

He turns abruptly, and peers solemnly at me. "Well," he smirks after a beat, "you can come home to _mine_."

End.


End file.
